Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa secured their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago 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. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
