Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks cemented their number one spot, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad 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 might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing 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 priceless lessons.”
