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Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.

Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash

England's head coach has received a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.

Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes

The home side host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.

New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, George described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”

In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.

George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis

“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. 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. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.

“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”

Borthwick's View and Squad Changes

The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.

“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”

The Star's Reflection on Progress

The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”