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

Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash

England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.

Current Form Differs with Past Struggles

England host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after George Ford missed late goal attempts.

The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their top spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”

In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.

The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks

“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.

“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.

“We came under a lot of criticism 12 months ago 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 solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes

Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.

“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”

Earl's Take on Growth

The number eight, in addition, thinks that England’s current ability to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”