Jamie George Cautions Team Not to Stand in Awe at All Blacks' Mystique

England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.

Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash

England's head coach got a timely boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.

Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles

The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.

The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”

Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.

The Captain's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all 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 team and they appear to raise a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.

“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side 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 put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”

Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes

Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the group getting ready 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 evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great test for us.”

The Star's Take on Growth

Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s present capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”