Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks secured their top ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team 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 have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand 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 must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's present ability 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, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
