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England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden home victory over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.

Team Updates Before Pivotal Fixture

Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes

England host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 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 the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.

New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to maintain hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa secured their top spot, 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 was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.

The Captain's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.

“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests 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 big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a mark of a quality team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments

Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.

“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”

The Star's Reflection on Growth

Ben Earl, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very priceless lessons.”