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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 achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.

Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture

England's head coach got a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.

Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes

The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.

New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”

Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.

George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks

“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. 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 win that game.

“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks 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 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 last time. But also, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.

“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, 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 finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”

The Coach's View and Squad Changes

The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.

“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”

Earl's Reflection on Progress

The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, 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 sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”