Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks secured their number one spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. 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. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. 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 came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, 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 however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
