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England's skipper has warned that the team should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this weekend.

Squad Boost Ahead of Pivotal Fixture

England's head coach got a timely boost with Elliot Daly returning to fitness and available for selection since suffering an injury on Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on the weekend.

Current Form Differs with Past Struggles

England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive comfortable win over Fiji, again pulling away in the final quarter. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats were inflicted by the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a 24-22 loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.

New Zealand narrowly edged out the Scots on Saturday to keep hopes of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa cemented their number one ranking, George has hailed the All Blacks as “arguably the best side in the world.”

In the previous 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the recent clashes at England's home ground.

The Captain's Insight on Facing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their incredible talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be playing at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.

“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled team and they seem to step up a gear when they visit Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us to do is work out where we could have been better in the opening period last time. Additionally, develop a clear gameplan which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“We came under a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of tight games and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed 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.”

The Coach's Outlook and Squad Adjustments

The England coach is again expected to make a number of adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and Ford all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against Fiji but have been selected in the squad preparing to take on New Zealand.

“We want to challenge ourselves against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those elite squads,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, 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 great test for us.”

The Star's Reflection on Growth

Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that England’s present ability to pull clear in the closing stages of matches owes much to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand the previous year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve got the wounds, you’ve developed the experience to build on those losses, and they stung at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was awarded man of the match against Fiji. “But I wonder to a man in the changing 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.”