Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first home triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
England will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa secured their top spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have 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. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.
“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end 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 put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments
The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “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 will 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 owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
