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England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.

Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash

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

Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes

The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.

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

In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.

George's Perspective 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 players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.

“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.

“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus 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.”

The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes

Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.

“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”

Earl's Reflection on Growth

Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”