Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden home victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks secured their top ranking, George described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that England’s present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
