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England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being overwhelmed by the All Blacks' legendary status if they aim to secure their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.

Team Updates Before Crucial Fixture

England's head coach got a welcome lift with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and the wing were also named in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Contrasts with Previous Woes

England will welcome New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine matches with a commanding comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, romping clear in the final quarter. Their current form stands in stark contrast from 12 months back, when England endured multiple losses in seven matches, all by narrow margins. Three of those losses came against the Kiwis—two on the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after the fly-half missed late goal attempts.

New Zealand just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain hopes of a clean sweep alive, and though the Springboks cemented their number one spot, the captain has hailed New Zealand as “arguably the best side in the world.”

Of the last 11 meetings, England's sole win over New Zealand came in the global tournament semi, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at England's home ground.

The Captain's Perspective on Playing the All Blacks

“What a lot of teams do is sit back in awe of New Zealand with their history and all their world-class talent,” stated the experienced hooker. “It’s easy to do that. I’ve probably done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at this venue. It’s an honour to be competing at home. We will do everything we can to win that game.

“You have to be at your peak. The All Blacks are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they seem to raise a level when they come to this stadium. The important thing for us to do is identify where we could have been better in the opening period last time. But also, have a defined strategy which can put them under as much stress as we possibly can. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“We faced a lot of criticism last year for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Currently, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we solved everything. But we’ve put a big emphasis on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of the match is a mark of a good team.”

Borthwick's View and Squad Changes

The England coach is likely to make a several adjustments to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to return to the first XV. The wing and the newcomer both suffered issues against Fiji but both have been included in the squad preparing to face the All Blacks.

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

The Star's Take on Progress

The number eight, meanwhile, believes that England’s present capacity to break away in the closing stages of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by the All Blacks last year. “You feel battle-hardened, as if you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to build on those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” remarked the back-rower, who was named player of the game against Fiji. “But I wonder among the squad in the changing room, if we’d alter our path now, with the joy that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”