Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa cemented their top ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, 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 chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's current ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing 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.”
