Jamie George Admonishes Team Not to Stand in Awe at All Blacks' Aura

England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.

Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Clash

England's head coach has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles

The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.

New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.”

Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.

The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis

“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. 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 everything we can to win that game.

“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.

“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”

Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments

The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.

“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”

Earl's Take on Progress

The number eight, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”