Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their maiden home victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes
England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa secured their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”
In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is again expected to make a several changes to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer 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 best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
