Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s current capacity 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 battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
