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Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first home victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.

Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture

Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.

Current Form Differs with Previous Woes

England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. 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 losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.

New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa cemented their number one ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”

Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks 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.

The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud 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 strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.

“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”

Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes

The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but have been selected in the group preparing to face New Zealand.

“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”

The Star's Reflection on Progress

The number eight, in addition, 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 the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing 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.”