Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden home victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
England's head coach has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.
Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles
The home side host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis
“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.
“We want to challenge ourselves 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 test for us.”
Earl's Reflection on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you 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,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
