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England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this Saturday.

Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture

Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.

Current Form Differs with Past Struggles

The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas 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 Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep intact, and though South Africa secured their top spot, the captain described New Zealand as “arguably the top team in the world.”

In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.

The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis

“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. 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 all we can to come out on top.

“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.

“We came under a bit of heat last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments

Borthwick is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and Ford all set to be reinstated to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both took knocks against Fiji but both have been included in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.

“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a valuable test for us.”

Earl's Take on Progress

Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s current capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”