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

Team Updates Ahead of Crucial Clash

England's head coach has received a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and available for selection since sustaining an injury on Lions tour, while the full-back and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad revealed on Sunday night.

Current Form Differs with Past Struggles

England will welcome the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine games with a decisive 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. This strong run stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England suffered multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses were inflicted by New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a 24-22 loss at Twickenham after the fly-half missed two late kicks.

New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George described the All Blacks as “perhaps the top team in the world.”

Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over New Zealand was during the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand have not been beaten 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 stand in admiration of the All Blacks with their history and all their incredible players,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it in the past. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do all we can to win that game.

“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are without doubt the best side in the world right now. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a gear when they come to this stadium. Our focus for us is is identify where we could have been better in the first half last time. But also, have a defined gameplan which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a opportunity.

“We faced a lot of criticism 12 months ago for not emerging on the winning end of close contests and not finding a way to win. Currently, we’re doing the exact opposite. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a sign of a good team.”

The Coach's Outlook and Team Changes

The England coach is again expected to make a several adjustments to his side, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and the fly-half all set to return to the starting lineup. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been included in the squad getting ready to take on the All Blacks.

“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving rapidly and we’re keen to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable assessment for us.”

Earl's Reflection on Progress

The number eight, in addition, believes that England’s current capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of games is largely due to their three narrow defeats by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the scar tissue to learn from those setbacks, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was named man of the match against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the success that we’re now experiencing? I’d be curious to know because I think they’re very, very valuable lessons.”