Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa cemented their top ranking, George described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, 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 both have been selected in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match 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 extremely valuable lessons.”
