Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden home victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.
Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture
Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.
Current Form Differs with Past Struggles
The home side will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.
New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks
“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.
“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.
“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”
The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.
“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Growth
The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
