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England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden home triumph over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.

Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture

Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group announced on the weekend.

Current Form Differs with Past Struggles

The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.

The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”

Of the last 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.

George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy 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 are going to do everything we can to come out on top.

“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”

The Coach's View and Squad Changes

The England coach is again expected 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 first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against Fiji but both 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 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 eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great test for us.”

Earl's Reflection on Growth

Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, 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 joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”