Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.
Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash
Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.
Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes
The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.
The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”
Of the last 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.
George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis
“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.
“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure 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 coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”
Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments
Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but have been included 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 best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”
The Star's Take on Progress
Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”
