Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “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 this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's View and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man 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 very, very valuable lessons.”
