Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history 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 playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, have a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both 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 one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, 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.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
