Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first home victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
