Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their number one spot, George described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” said 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 will do all we can to win that game.
“You have 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 appear to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“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 rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
