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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 Ahead of Crucial Fixture

Steve Borthwick has received a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group announced on the weekend.

Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes

The home side host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—during the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after George Ford 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 number one ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”

Of the last 11 meetings, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.

George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks

“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” said 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 all we can to win that game.

“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to raise a gear 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 this week. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.

“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes

The England coach is likely to make a number of changes to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both have been selected in the group getting ready to take on New Zealand.

“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great assessment for us.”

The Star's Reflection on Growth

The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present ability to break away 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 scar tissue to build on those setbacks, 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, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”