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 secure their maiden home victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps 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 New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have 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 are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. 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.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats 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 setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”
