Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want 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 evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, 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 experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
