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 home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England'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 clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. 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 peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, 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 assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
