Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa secured their top ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” 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. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, have a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“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 multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “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 assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, 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. “You feel battle-hardened, 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 awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
