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England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.

Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture

Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and the wing were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.

Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles

England will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team suffered six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.

The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks secured their number one spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”

In the previous 11 meetings, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.

George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.

“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.

“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a quality team.”

Borthwick's View and Team Adjustments

The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the group getting ready to take on the All Blacks.

“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”

Earl's Reflection on Growth

The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's current capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad 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.”