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Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.

Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture

Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes

England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.

The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks secured their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”

Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.

The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.

“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.

“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out 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 solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”

Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments

The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.

“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”

Earl's Take on Growth

Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”