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England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.

Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Clash

England's head coach has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded squad announced on Sunday night.

Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles

England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these losses came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.

New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”

Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at England's home ground.

George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis

“Many sides tend to is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.

“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.

“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”

Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Changes

Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.

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

Earl's Take on Growth

Ben Earl, meanwhile, believes that the team's current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”