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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 hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.

Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture

England's head coach has received a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes

The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.

New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”

In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.

George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis

“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to come out on top.

“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem 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 gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves 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 complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”

Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments

Borthwick is again expected to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both took knocks against Fiji but have been included in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.

“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 rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”

The Star's Take on Growth

The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”