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Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.

Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash

Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes

England host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.

New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”

Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.

George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis

“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.

“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.

“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a good team.”

The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments

Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.

“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”

Earl's Reflection on Progress

The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”