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England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.

Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Clash

England's head coach got a timely lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded squad revealed on Sunday night.

Current Form Contrasts with Previous Woes

The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable victory over the Pacific Islanders, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after the fly-half failed with late goal attempts.

The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa secured their number one spot, the captain described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”

Of the last 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks 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 Insight on Playing the Kiwis

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be playing at this venue. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We will do all we can to come out on top.

“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 squad and they seem to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the first half this week. Additionally, have a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.

“We faced a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments

Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on the All Blacks.

“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable assessment for us.”

The Star's Take on Growth

The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter 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.”