Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors 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 the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. 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 without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included 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 elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, 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 assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
