Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa cemented their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will 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 right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
