Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first home victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, 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 figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many 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 again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said 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 going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, 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 named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
