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England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to achieve their maiden Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.

Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash

Steve Borthwick got a timely lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since suffering an arm fracture on Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.

Current Form Contrasts with Past Struggles

The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against the Kiwis—during the 2024 summer tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.

New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while South Africa secured their number one ranking, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”

In the previous 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent fixtures at England's home ground.

George's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks

“Many sides tend to is stand in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have 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.

“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to raise a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.

“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and closing games out. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a sign of a quality team.”

The Coach's View and Team Changes

The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.

“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”

The Star's Take on Progress

Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's present capacity to break away in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, 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 among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”