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Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.

Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash

Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles

England host New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.

New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa secured their top ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”

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

The Captain's Perspective on Playing 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 easy to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.

“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.

“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments

Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.

“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”

Earl's Reflection on Growth

Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match 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 curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”