Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks secured their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective 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 incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games 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 big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both 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 top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they stung 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, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
