Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period 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 chance.
“We faced 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 exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely 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 took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves 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 rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
