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

Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash

England's head coach got a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes

England host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team suffered multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.

The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks secured their top spot, the captain described New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”

Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.

The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.

“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to raise a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a good team.”

Borthwick's View and Squad Changes

Borthwick is again expected to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.

“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, 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 great test for us.”

The Star's Reflection on Progress

The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team'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, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”