Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a gear when they visit 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, have a defined strategy which can apply 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 coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis 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.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, 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 the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
