Jamie George has urged his England team to maintain their bravery and go all out against Australia, rather than retreating after a losing start to their autumn campaign. England is aiming for their 11th win in 12 matches against Australia, who are currently ranked ninth in the world. However, Steve Borthwick’s team has lost four of their last five matches, including a third consecutive defeat by the All Blacks last weekend.

Against New Zealand, England started with an attacking mindset, as seen with Marcus Smith’s early cross-field kick to Immanuel Feyi-Waboso. Despite building an eight-point lead in the final quarter, the hosts faltered again. Given Australia’s recent record of five defeats in six Rugby Championship games, England is expected to perform well on Saturday, with some bookmakers listing them as 1-5 favorites.

George has called on England to take the fight to Australia from the first whistle. “My message to the team, and Steve’s message, is to play with courage and bravery, and never sit back,” said George. “The challenge is to maintain that for 80 minutes. There’s a fine line between being relentless and reckless. We’re clear about our approach, and the more we play together, the better we’ll become.”

England’s coaching team and senior players have devised brilliant strategies, like the set play involving Smith’s kick, which can energize the crowd. George believes that consistent execution and pressure can help them overcome a strong team. “If we worry too much about expectations, we might start retreating and fearing failure instead of taking on the opposition. We will take on Australia on Saturday, which has been the message all week.”

George also emphasized the importance of fan support, especially in the upcoming three crucial games. Australia begins their autumn campaign on Saturday, facing all four home nations before hosting the British & Irish Lions next summer. Given their recent struggles, Joe Schmidt needs some wins this month to alleviate concerns about the Lions’ potential dominance. George believes Schmidt is the right person to improve the Wallabies’ fortunes.

“He seems like the perfect person to lead Australia over the next few years, especially with a big 12 months ahead,” added George. “This rivalry is historic and exciting. It’s good for the game in a Lions year if they start gaining momentum. Winning away from home is challenging, but if the Australia team gains momentum, it will only be beneficial.”

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