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England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.

Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture

Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.

Current Form Differs with Past Struggles

The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.

The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”

Of the last 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.

The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.

“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.

“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”

Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments

The England coach is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with captain the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.

“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”

The Star's Take on Growth

The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”