Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of 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
Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.
Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes
England host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa secured their number one spot, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end 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 strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a good team.”
The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments
The England coach 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 starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”
Earl's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
