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 home victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a timely lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got 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 Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
