Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. 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 winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
