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Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden home victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.

Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture

England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles

The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these 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.

The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”

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

George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis

“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.

“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.

“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”

Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments

The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.

“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”

Earl's Take on Progress

Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder 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 curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”