🔗 Share this article England's captain Cautions Squad Against Stand in Awe at New Zealand's Reputation Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden home victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend. Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group announced on the weekend. Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles England host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts. New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa secured their number one spot, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.” In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham. George's Perspective 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 players,” said the experienced hooker. “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 Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top. “You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity. “We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side 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 placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.” The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks. “We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.” The Star's Take on Growth Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”