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England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the visitors in over a decade this weekend.

Team Updates Before Pivotal Clash

England's head coach has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the expanded group revealed on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes

The home side will welcome the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches 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 matches, each by fine margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.

The All Blacks narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their top spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”

In the previous 11 encounters, 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.

The Captain's Insight on Playing the All Blacks

“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.

“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They’re an unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to raise a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is work out where we might have improved in the opening period last time. But also, develop a clear strategy which can put them under as much stress as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll create a opportunity.

“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a big emphasis on the final phases of games and closing games out. Notching however many tries in the last quarter of that game is a sign of a good team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Team Adjustments

The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with captain Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against Fiji but have been included in the group getting ready to face New Zealand.

“We aim to challenge ourselves against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming going to be a great assessment for us.”

Earl's Take on Progress

Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's current capacity to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their triple close losses by New Zealand the previous year. “It leaves you seasoned, as if you’ve got the wounds, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”