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Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.

Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash

Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.

Current Form Differs with Previous Woes

The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.

The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team 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 the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.

George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis

“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.

“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.

“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”

The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments

The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.

“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”

Earl's Take on Growth

The number eight, in addition, thinks that England’s current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”