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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 secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.

Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash

Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles

The home side host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.

The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”

In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.

The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.

“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined 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 lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way 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 closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Squad Changes

Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.

“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”

Earl's Take on Progress

The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”