Jamie George has cautioned that the team 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 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, 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 matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, 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 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” stated 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. It’s an honour 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 without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad 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 very, very valuable lessons.”
