Jamie George backs 'Air Caluori' to lift England out of five-Test losing run on debut

England captain Jamie George has thrown his full support behind teenage debutant Noah Caluori ahead of Saturday’s Test against Fiji at Hill Dickinson Stadium, describing the 19-year-old Saracens wing as a once-in-a-generation aerial talent capable of lifting a side mired in a five-match losing streak.

Caluori, already the Gallagher Premiership’s breakthrough player of 2025-26 and its leading try scorer, is set to come off the bench in what will be his first England cap. George, who has watched the youngster up close, was unambiguous in his assessment.

“Air Caluori is a special, special talent and I’m buzzing for him,” the England skipper said. “He can be so influential on a game because there are very few people who have his athletic ability. I’ve genuinely never seen anything like it. He’s able to do things that other people aren’t physically able to do and it’s a thing of beauty when he gets it right.”

George drew comparisons with some of the most celebrated aerial players the game has produced, suggesting only Australia’s Israel Folau and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii rival Caluori in that department. The wing is currently being mentored by Owen Farrell, who is helping refine the rougher edges of a player whose acrobatic finishing has already generated a striking highlights reel.

In a nod to Caluori’s relaxed approach to the occasion, George revealed the teenager spent much of the build-up week playing golf on a VR headset — purchased with his first professional pay cheque. “He’s probably more focused on that than the fact he is playing against Fiji,” George said with a smile, before adding: “I just hope he enjoys it because when he enjoys his rugby, he’s at his best.”

The backdrop to Caluori’s debut is a difficult one for England. Steve Borthwick’s side were hammered 45-21 by South Africa at Ellis Park last Saturday, a result that extended their losing run to five Tests and piled further pressure on the coaching staff. A ninth-ranked Fiji side on home soil represents another stern examination.

George acknowledged the mounting frustration among supporters but urged them not to dismiss everything from the Johannesburg defeat. “Yes, the first 15 minutes weren’t good enough. Yes, the final 10 minutes weren’t good enough. But I’d be excited about the middle bit against the best team in the world away from home at their spiritual home,” he said.

Borthwick has named seven uncapped players in a 42-man squad that gathered for a three-day camp at Pennyhill Park this week, signalling a degree of renewal as England attempt to arrest their slide. For now, though, much of the pre-match conversation centres on one name — and whether a teenager with a VR headset and a gift for the spectacular can provide the spark his country badly needs.