Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means 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 last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both 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 best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
