Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks secured their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, 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 figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
