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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 hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.

Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash

England's head coach has received a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.

Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes

England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.

New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, George described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”

Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.

George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks

“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.

“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.

“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments

The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.

“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”

Earl's Reflection on Growth

Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”