Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden home victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour 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 arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 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 exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s present ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
