Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable 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 endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their top spot, George described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history 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 back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. 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 come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year 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. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
