Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa secured their number one spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing 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 very, very priceless lessons.”
