Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first home victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
England host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks secured their top ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, 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. Currently, 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 finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches 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 build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
