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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 aim to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.

Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash

Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.

Current Form Differs with Past Struggles

England host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding comfortable victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.

New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks secured their number one spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”

In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory 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 Twickenham.

George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.

“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.

“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments

Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.

“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”

Earl's Take on Growth

Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the changing 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 very, very priceless lessons.”