Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks secured their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 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.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything 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 are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the group preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented 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 going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
