Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side 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 recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out 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 pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
