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England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by New Zealand's formidable reputation if they hope to secure their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in over a decade this Saturday.

Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture

Steve Borthwick got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck featured in the expanded squad revealed on the weekend.

Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes

The home side will welcome New Zealand after stretching their unbeaten run to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. This strong run stands in stark contrast from a year ago, when England suffered six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 reverse at home after the fly-half failed with two late kicks.

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

Of the last 11 meetings, the team'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.

The Captain's Perspective on Playing the Kiwis

“What a lot of teams do is stand in awe of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at this venue. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to come out on top.

“It’s vital to be at your best. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they seem to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, have a clear gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.

“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging on the right side of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a good team.”

Borthwick's Outlook and Team Adjustments

The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad preparing to face New Zealand.

“We want to test our mettle against the best teams and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re developing, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure next week’s going to be a valuable test for us.”

Earl's Reflection on Progress

Ben Earl, in addition, believes that the team's present ability to pull clear in the dying minutes of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I question to a man in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re now enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”