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Jamie George has cautioned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.

Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash

Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.

Current Form Differs with Previous Woes

The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.

New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa secured their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”

Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.

The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.

“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, have a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”

Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes

Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.

“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”

The Star's Reflection on Progress

The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”