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 secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class 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. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a several 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 each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim 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 quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
