Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks secured their number one spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have 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 playing here. We will do everything 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 team and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not finding a way 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 final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
