England have never won a tour of New Zealand.
England captain Jamie George says he will take the lessons he learned from the 2017 British and Irish Lions tour with him on his national tour this summer.
George will lead England in two games against the All Blacks in July. This will be his first overseas tour since taking over as captain in 2024.
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“I’ve been there and I know how difficult it is to beat the All Blacks in New Zealand. “I learned a ton in 2017.” George told BBC Sport. “(The first test) is a big regret for me. I was very young starting my international career, and that match was the biggest match I’ve ever played.
“But we dipped our toe in and in the second and third tests we started testing it ourselves rather than waiting to see how good it was.
“You sit back and wait and wonder what the All Blacks will do. That’s not what we do. “We have to go there and try to play the England way.”
Jamie George running with the ball (Getty Images)
England begin their summer campaign against Japan on 22 June. The team won 52-17 but will need to step up its performance if it is to win the tour of New Zealand.
England have toured New Zealand only twice – in 1973 and 2003 – and have never won two or three consecutive matches in New Zealand.
George argues that England can win, but they must not respect the opposition too much.
“I think our aura and respect for them has never been higher.” George added. “But at the same time, we can’t sit back and pay too much respect. We have to go out there and assert ourselves in the way we want to.
“If we’re in awe of what the All Blacks are, we’re not going to be in the right headspace to go out and beat them. And that is our intention. “To go there and beat New Zealand in New Zealand.”
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