Jamie George has cautioned that the team 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 over a decade this Saturday.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa cemented their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “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 great test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
