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 maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by 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 Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one spot, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a gear 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 last time. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
