Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks secured their number one ranking, George described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
