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 secure their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting 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 all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
