Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa secured their number one ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
