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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 hope to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.

Squad Boost Before Crucial Clash

England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad announced on the weekend.

Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles

England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.

New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”

Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.

George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. 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 best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes

Borthwick is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been selected in the group preparing to face New Zealand.

“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great test for us.”

Earl's Take on Growth

Ben Earl, in addition, believes that England’s present capacity to break away in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”