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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 achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.

Team Updates Before Crucial Clash

England's head coach has received a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing featured in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.

Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes

England will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.

New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”

Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.

The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks

“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated 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 back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.

“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”

Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments

Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.

“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”

Earl's Take on Growth

Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed 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.”