Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “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 competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
