Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware 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 seem to raise a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the group preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”