Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among 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 the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s present ability to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, 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 awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
