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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 secure their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.

Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture

England's head coach got a welcome boost with the versatile back 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 37-man group announced on the weekend.

Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes

England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.

The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”

Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.

The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.

“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.

“We faced 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 exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. 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 sign of a good team.”

Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments

Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but have been selected in the group preparing to face the All Blacks.

“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”

The Star's Reflection on Progress

The number eight, meanwhile, thinks 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. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”