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England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first home victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.

Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Clash

England's head coach has received a welcome boost with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.

Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles

England host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.

The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George described New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”

Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.

George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting 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 playing here. We will do all we can to come out on top.

“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a level when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.

“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments

The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad getting ready to take on New Zealand.

“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”

Earl's Take on Growth

Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”