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 achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting 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 everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side 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 big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
