Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group announced 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 commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa cemented their top ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated 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 playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team 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 return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
