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Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden home victory over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.

Team Updates Before Crucial Clash

England's head coach got a timely lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.

Current Form Differs with Previous Woes

The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.

The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks secured 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 New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.

The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing 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 without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”

Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments

The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.

“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”

The Star's Reflection on Progress

Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s present ability to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel 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,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”