Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible 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 playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how 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 closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented 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 going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
