England captain Jamie George has emphasized the need for his team to maintain relentless attacking pressure for the full 80 minutes when they face Australia at Twickenham on Saturday. Following three consecutive defeats to New Zealand, where England's offense waned in the closing stages, George stressed the importance of courage and consistent aggression in their gameplay.
Last week's narrow 24-22 loss to the All Blacks at Twickenham highlighted England's recurring challenge of failing to capitalize in the final moments, a pattern also evident in their two losses in July where late leads slipped away.
George pointed out that facing an Australian side that endured a tough Rugby Championship—losing five of their six matches, including a record 67-27 loss to Argentina—England must push forward without hesitation. “We’re going to want to go out and play with courage and be brave and take teams on and never sit back,” George said. He noted that the real test lies in sustaining this approach throughout the match. “The challenge is, can we continue to do that for 80 minutes? There is a fine line between being relentless and almost reckless, but we’re very clear about how we want to go about things.”
The stakes are high for coach Steve Borthwick, whose focus on England's youth and development will no longer pacify the Twickenham faithful if results falter. England boasts a strong record against Australia, winning 10 of their last 11 encounters since the 2015 World Cup pool-stage defeat. The recent matches at Twickenham have often seen England dominate, with an average winning margin of 19 points. Nevertheless, George urged his teammates to focus on clinical execution rather than expectations. “If you worry about that expectation too much and start sitting back and being fearful of failure... we will take Australia on Saturday, that has been the message all week.”
A key addition to the matchday squad is Luke Cowan-Dickie, making his long-awaited return to international rugby after overcoming injury and health setbacks since 2022. George expressed his delight at Cowan-Dickie's return, noting, “He’s like a puppy running around... His experience always adds a huge amount and when he gets the opportunity on Saturday, he’ll be flying around.”
England's fans will be eager for a convincing victory over their longstanding rivals, but George and his team remain focused on executing their plan and playing with intent. With Australia under the direction of coach Joe Schmidt and looking to improve their recent poor form, the stage is set for an intense clash.
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