Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden home triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa cemented their top spot, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging 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 strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s present ability 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,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
