Jamie George played a pivotal role in England’s pre-match response to New Zealand’s iconic Haka, but he admitted he had reservations about Henry Pollock’s role in the display.
Standing in a horseshoe formation, the team prepared to face the All Blacks, with 20-year-old Pollock visibly eager for the moment.
“We were a bit hesitant to give it to Henry at first,” George explained.
“We weren’t sure what he’d do with Maro Itoje in the middle of the V.
The idea was to mirror 2019, with the oldest on one side and the youngest on the other.”
England’s Brilliant Theatre and Team Performance
Sir Clive Woodward, England’s 2003 World Cup-winning coach, described the Haka response as “brilliant rugby theatre.”
But the real triumph came in how England backed it up on the field.
A commanding four-try performance saw them triumph 33-19 over the All Blacks, extending their unbeaten streak to 10 matches.
It was England’s first home win against New Zealand since 2012 and their first victory anywhere over them since 2019.
“I felt like starting in a flat line and then heading into the V would be pretty cool,” George said.
“The response was great, but the performance that followed was the most important thing.”
George Ford and England’s Clinical Brilliance
Fly-half George Ford was England’s standout player, nailing two crucial drop goals in the first half to keep the team in contention.
The second period saw England dominate, with tries from Sam Underhill, Fraser Dingwall, Tom Roebuck, and Ollie Lawrence’s opening score setting the tone. Across the squad, the team delivered a display that will be remembered for years.
Eyes on Argentina
England now turn their attention to Argentina, who staged a stunning comeback from 21-0 down to beat Scotland 33-24 in Edinburgh.
The Pumas visit Twickenham this Sunday, and a victory would extend England’s winning streak to 11 matches, completing a clean sweep of November internationals.
Borthwick Sees Room for Growth
Despite the historic win, head coach Steve Borthwick believes there is still untapped potential.
“Even in a convincing win, we weren’t as clinical as we could have been,” he said.
“Points were left out there, and the margin of success could have been greater.
The big thing that pleased me is the players’ ambition—they want to improve.”
Borthwick emphasized the importance of balance: “The team will never get too high, never get too low. They will just continue to work to improve.
Let’s celebrate this—it’s an incredible memory they just created.”
Injury Updates Ahead of Argentina
Lock Ollie Chessum and back Tommy Freeman missed the win over New Zealand due to foot and hamstring injuries, respectively, and are expected to miss the Argentina clash as well.
England will hope to maintain momentum and finish the autumn series on a high note.
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