Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach got a timely boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks secured their top spot, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, 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 closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the group preparing to take on 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 evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Reflection on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
