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Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.

Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash

England's head coach has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles

The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.

New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks secured their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”

Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.

George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.

“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments

Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.

“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”

The Star's Reflection on Growth

Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's current ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, 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 journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”