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England's skipper has warned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the Kiwis in over a decade this weekend.

Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Clash

England's head coach got a welcome lift with the versatile back returning to fitness and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man group revealed on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Differs with Previous Woes

The home side will welcome New Zealand after extending their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when England endured six defeats in seven matches, all by narrow margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.

New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks secured their top spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the top team in the world.”

In the previous 11 encounters, the team's sole win over the All Blacks was during the global tournament semi, and the visitors have not been beaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.

George's Insight on Facing the Kiwis

“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” said the experienced hooker. “It’s tempting to do that. I’ve probably done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.

“You have to be at your best. The All Blacks are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a unbelievably fantastic squad and they appear to step up a gear when they visit this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, develop a defined gameplan which can put them under as much pressure as we possibly can. By doing so, 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 figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the last quarter of the match is a sign of a quality team.”

Borthwick's View and Team Changes

Borthwick is likely to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper the lock, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the group preparing to take on the All Blacks.

“We aim to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are among best teams,” commented Borthwick. “Our team is youthful, 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 valuable test for us.”

The Star's Take on Progress

The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's current ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said the back-rower, who was awarded 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 joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”