Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first home victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.
Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles
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 final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”
In the previous 11 meetings, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.
The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks
“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy 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 competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.
“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes
Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.
“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great test for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”
