Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks secured their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, have a defined gameplan 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 close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle 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 keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
