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

Squad Boost Ahead of Crucial Fixture

England's head coach has received a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck featured in the 37-man group revealed on the weekend.

Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes

The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when the team endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford failed with late goal attempts.

New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to keep aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and though South Africa secured their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”

Of the last 11 meetings, England's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.

George's Perspective on Facing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their world-class players,” stated the experienced hooker. “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 playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.

“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.

“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not emerging on the right side of tight games and not finding a way 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 final phases of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a quality team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes

Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.

“We want to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly 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

The number eight, in addition, thinks that England’s current ability to break away in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded 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 success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”