Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their first home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa secured their top ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the group preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, thinks that England’s present ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, 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 dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
