Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks secured their number one ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago 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. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
