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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 aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.

Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash

England's head coach has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man squad announced on the weekend.

Recent Performances Contrasts with Past Struggles

The home side will welcome the All Blacks after stretching their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by New Zealand—during the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half missed two late kicks.

New Zealand just defeated the Scots on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team 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 remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.

George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis

“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of New Zealand with their legacy and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to come out on top.

“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they seem to raise a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”

The Coach's View and Team Changes

Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all set to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.

“We want to test our mettle against the top sides 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 next week’s going to be a great assessment for us.”

The Star's Reflection on Growth

Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's current ability to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their triple close losses 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 awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”