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Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.

Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash

England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.

Current Form Differs with Past Struggles

England host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.

New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”

In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.

George's Insight on Facing the All Blacks

“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.

“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.

“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”

Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes

Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.

“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”

Earl's Reflection on Growth

The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”