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England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being overwhelmed by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they aim to secure their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.

Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture

Steve Borthwick has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on the weekend.

Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes

The home side host the All Blacks after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.

The All Blacks just defeated the Scots on the weekend to keep aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though South Africa cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”

In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand was during the global tournament semi, and New Zealand have not been beaten in the recent clashes at Twickenham.

George's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said 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 peak. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a clear gameplan 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 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. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”

Borthwick's Outlook and Squad Adjustments

The England coach is likely to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the first XV. Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.

“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving 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, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”