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Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.

Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture

Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.

Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes

The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.

The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their number one ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”

Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.

George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” 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 back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.

“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.

“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes

The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.

“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, 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 Progress

The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”