Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though South Africa secured their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy 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 playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
