Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first home victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded group announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles
England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, George described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's View and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.
“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, 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 success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
