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England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their maiden Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.

Squad Boost Before Pivotal Clash

Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on the weekend.

Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles

England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, 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 outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at Twickenham after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.

The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep intact, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”

Of the last 11 meetings, the team's only victory over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.

The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” said former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably 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 everything we can to win that game.

“It’s vital to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to step up a gear 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. Additionally, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll create a chance.

“We faced 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 exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a good team.”

Borthwick's View and Team Changes

Borthwick is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to face the All Blacks.

“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among elite squads,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”

Earl's Take on Growth

Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re now enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”