🔗 Share this article Jamie George Cautions Team Against Stand in Awe at New Zealand's Reputation England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend. Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend. Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks. New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “perhaps the best side in the world.” Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground. George's Insight on Playing the Kiwis “What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to win that game. “It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half last time. But also, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity. “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 cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.” The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks. “We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.” The Star's Reflection on Progress The number eight, in addition, thinks that England’s present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”