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Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.

Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture

England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.

Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles

England host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.

The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while South Africa cemented their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the best side 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 clashes at England's home ground.

George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis

“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.

“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 seem to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.

“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”

Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes

Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the group preparing to face the All Blacks.

“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”

The Star's Reflection on Growth

Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like 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 the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”