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

Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture

England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes

The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.

New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa secured their top spot, George described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”

In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win 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 Perspective on Facing the Kiwis

“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.

“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”

Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes

Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.

“We want to test our mettle 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 quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”

The Star's Reflection on Progress

Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was named 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 enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”