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Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.

Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash

England's head coach has received a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.

Current Form Differs with Previous Woes

England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with two late kicks.

The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”

Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.

George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks

“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.

“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“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 big emphasis on the latter stages 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 Changes

The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.

“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”

The Star's Take on Progress

Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing 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 very, very priceless lessons.”