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England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.

Team Updates Before Crucial Fixture

England's head coach has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.

Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes

The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 reverse at home 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 South Africa cemented their top ranking, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”

Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.

George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.

“It’s vital to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, have a clear strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a opportunity.

“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments

Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.

“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable assessment for us.”

Earl's Take on Growth

Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s present capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”