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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 aim to achieve their first Twickenham victory over the Kiwis in 13 years this weekend.

Team Updates Before Crucial Clash

England's head coach has received a welcome boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an injury on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes

England host the All Blacks after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a decisive 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, each by fine margins. Three of those defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.

New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep intact, and while the Springboks cemented their top ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”

In the previous 11 encounters, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent fixtures at Twickenham.

The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks

“Many sides tend to is stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their incredible players,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We are going to do everything we can to come out on top.

“It’s vital to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world at the minute. They’re an unbelievably fantastic team and they appear to step up a level when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is work out where we might have improved in the first half this week. Additionally, have a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we are able to. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“We came under a bit of heat last year for not emerging 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 cracked it. But we’ve put a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Scoring however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”

Borthwick's View and Team Changes

Borthwick is likely to make a several changes to his side, with skipper the lock, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad getting ready to face New Zealand.

“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”

Earl's Reflection on Progress

The number eight, meanwhile, thinks that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the closing stages of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” remarked Earl, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”