England captain Chris Robshaw is demanding his team turn Twickenham into a fortress ahead of the World Cup, starting with beating the All Blacks on November 8.
A year out from hosting the next tournament, Robshaw wants to see the London headquarters become a feared environment for opposition.
England face a demanding month there against some southern hemisphere heavyweights in November that Robshaw wants turned into a positive.
England host the All Blacks, Springboks, Samoa and Wallabies on successive weekends.
It's got the feel of a World Cup playoffs schedule and the English skipper sees it as an ideal litmus test for the cup which England host for the second time after losing the 1991 final to Australia there.
"We have also come close to getting some big scalps. Now we need to put some markers down. We are playing the big boys in Twickenham in November. They want to put some markers down, too. But it is important that we can make them think, come the World Cup, that the last time we played, we beat them," Robshaw told the Daily Mail newspaper as the tournament's momentum continues to build there.
England are still smarting after being whitewashed by the All Blacks in New Zealand in June. They went very close in the first two tests in Auckland and Dunedin before the All Blacks buried them in Hamilton.
"Richie McCaw said at his post-match dinner that it comes down to a few key moments. And that is exactly it," Robshaw said.
"If we can beat them, turn Twickenham into a fortress and get the team behind us, then who knows?"
Robshaw, a hard-nosed flanker, has found himself the centre of some unwanted attention as the English club scene has got under way.
He was relieved of the Harlequins captaincy, a move that drew criticism from respected English rugby figures like Sir Clive Woodward and Lawrence Dallaglio who felt he should be keeping his leadership skills tuned with his club side.
Robshaw has played that down, saying the move was made in consultation with Harlequins coach Conor O'Shea and England coach Stuart Lancaster who see benefits.
Robshaw has led England in 27 tests - a figure only bettered by Martin Johnson (39) and Will carling (59) - and believes the new arrangement can benefit the national team, keeping him fresh for test duties.
"There are other international captains who do not captain their clubs as well - Richie McCaw, Sam Warburton, Paul O'Connell. It takes some pressure off me. You can think about what you are doing more," Robshaw explained to the Daily Mail.
"The best example was having to go straight back in as club captain after we had that heavy defeat to Wales in the Six Nations in the tournament before last. It was the biggest and hardest defeat of my life and I was the one who has to get the training standards up and get them all going.
"It is for that reason - to help me get in the best possible mental state that Stuart and Conor and I came to the decision. I don't have to get 35 guys motivated every day.
"It should get me right for the World Cup and that is the most important thing. We are cracking on."
Playing England at Twickenham has been one of the All Blacks' more uncomfortable assignments since the World Cups were introduced in 1987.
In that time the All Blacks have notched up eight wins, three losses and a draw.
England remain the only black mark on Steve Hansen's time in charge, beating the All Blacks 38-21 in late 2012 - just the sort of performance Robshaw is now urging his team to repeat.
- Stuff
