England's captain Cautions Squad Not to Sit Back at All Blacks' Aura

Jamie George has cautioned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.

Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash

England's head coach has received a welcome boost with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.

Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes

England will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.

New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa secured their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”

In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.

George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks

“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do all we can to win that game.

“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.

“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”

Borthwick's View and Team Changes

The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.

“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said 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 valuable test for us.”

Earl's Reflection on Growth

Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”