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

Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash

Steve Borthwick has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.

Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes

England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.

New Zealand just defeated the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam alive, and though the Springboks secured their number one spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”

Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.

The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have 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 will do everything we can to come out on top.

“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.

“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”

Borthwick's Outlook and Team Changes

Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.

“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great test for us.”

Earl's Reflection on Growth

Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that England’s current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”