Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first home victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep 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 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing 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 the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the group getting ready to face 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. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
