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England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.

Team Updates Before Crucial Clash

Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles

England will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.

New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their top spot, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”

In the previous 11 encounters, the team's only victory over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.

The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks

“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We must remember 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 win that game.

“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they seem to step up a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we could have been better in the opening period this week. Additionally, 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 chance.

“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments

Borthwick is likely 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 first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.

“We aim to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a valuable assessment for us.”

Earl's Take on Progress

The number eight, meanwhile, believes 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. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named man of the match against Fiji. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”