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Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.

Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture

England's head coach got a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.

Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles

The home side host New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.

The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”

Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.

The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.

“It’s vital to be at your peak. 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 raise a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. 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 that game is a sign of a good team.”

The Coach's View and Squad Changes

The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.

“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”

Earl's Take on Growth

Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named 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 success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”