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 first home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here 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 peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. 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 aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
