Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa cemented their top spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks 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 this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
