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England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.

Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture

England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes

The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured 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 Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.

The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks secured their number one ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”

Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.

George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.

“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, develop a clear strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.

“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a mark of a quality team.”

Borthwick's View and Squad Changes

Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.

“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”

Earl's Take on Growth

Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to break away in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”