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 maiden home victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Fixture
England's head coach has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes
The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the group 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 best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”
