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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 achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.

Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture

Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an injury 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 winning streak to nine games with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.

The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their top spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”

Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.

George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” 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 playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do everything we can to win that game.

“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.

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

Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments

The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.

“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”

The Star's Reflection on Progress

Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”