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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 aim to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.

Squad Boost Before Pivotal Fixture

England's head coach got a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while the full-back and the wing featured in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes

The home side host New Zealand after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.

The All Blacks narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, the captain has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”

Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.

The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be competing at home. We are going to do all we can to win that game.

“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the first half this week. But also, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“We faced a lot of criticism 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. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments

Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.

“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a great test for us.”

Earl's Take on Progress

The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that England’s current ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing room, if we’d alter our journey now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”