Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa cemented their top ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team'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 Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current ability to break away in the closing stages of games 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 developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, 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 dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
