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 secure their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa secured their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
