Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “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 competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. 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 however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” 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 the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
