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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 hope to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.

Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash

England's head coach has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.

Current Form Differs with Past Struggles

England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.

New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks secured their number one ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”

In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent 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 easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour 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 arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”

Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments

The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.

“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”

Earl's Take on Progress

The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “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 curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”