Jamie George Admonishes Squad Against Sit Back at All Blacks' Aura

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 maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.

Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture

England's head coach got a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.

Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles

England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.

New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”

In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.

George's Perspective on Facing the Kiwis

“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.

“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better 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 faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”

The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments

Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.

“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”

The Star's Reflection on Growth

Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear 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 got the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”