Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
England host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting 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 competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how 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 latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing 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.”
