England's captain Warns Squad Not to Stand in Awe at New Zealand's Mystique

Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.

Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture

Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.

Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles

The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with two late kicks.

The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”

In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.

The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis

“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.

“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”

The Coach's View and Squad Changes

Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the group preparing to face New Zealand.

“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great test for us.”

Earl's Take on Growth

The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”