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 achieve their first home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa secured their top ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return 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 elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
