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 maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team'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 Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
