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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 hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.

Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash

England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles

England will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.

The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”

In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.

The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis

“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.

“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.

“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments

The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, 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 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 among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”

The Star's Take on Progress

Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”