Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first home triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a timely lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa cemented their top ranking, George described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win 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 awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” 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 playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand 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 come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
