Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks secured their number one ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a clear strategy 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 emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
