Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first home victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
