Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand 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 must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, have a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded 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 success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
