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Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.

Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture

Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.

Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes

The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.

The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”

Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.

The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.

“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.

“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out 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 cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”

Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments

The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.

“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable test for us.”

The Star's Take on Growth

Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “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 curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”