Jamie George Admonishes Team Not to Stand in Awe at New Zealand's Reputation

England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.

Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture

Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes

England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.

The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks secured their top spot, George described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”

In the previous 11 meetings, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.

The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy 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 back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.

“It’s vital to be at your peak. 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 this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.

“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments

Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.

“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”

The Star's Take on Growth

The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current ability to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”