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England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.

Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture

Steve Borthwick got a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.

Current Form Differs with Past Struggles

The home side will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford missed late goal attempts.

New Zealand just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa secured their number one spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”

In the previous 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.

The Captain's Insight on Playing the Kiwis

“Many sides tend to 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 have 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 win that game.

“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.

“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”

The Coach's View and Team Changes

Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.

“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great test for us.”

Earl's Reflection on Growth

The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”