Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa secured their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
