Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 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 outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks 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 New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, have 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 winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, 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, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
