Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Clash
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named 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 sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
