Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, 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 Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got 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 the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
