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England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.

Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture

England's head coach got a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded group announced on Sunday night.

Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes

England will welcome New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.

New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain 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 was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten 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 awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We are going to do everything 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 unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.

“We faced a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”

Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments

Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.

“We aim to challenge ourselves 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 growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”

The Star's Take on Growth

Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”