Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably 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.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
