Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten 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 awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have 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 all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, have a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago 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 solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
