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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 secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.

Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash

Steve Borthwick has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.

Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles

England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.

New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa cemented their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”

In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win 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 Kiwis

“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.

“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a level when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”

The Coach's View and Team Adjustments

Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad getting ready to face the All Blacks.

“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” commented 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 valuable assessment for us.”

The Star's Reflection on Growth

Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”