The All Blacks have made it clear the critical slings and arrows after their nightmare start to this season have stung.
So while beating England at Twickenham wouldn’t satisfy everyone, it should at least slowdown the volume of vitriol that followed the horror shows with Ireland and Argentina.
As Mike Tyson famously said, “everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth,” so to win in London, no matter how fiercely England take the game to them, the All Blacks need to stay cool, use their skills and rugby intelligence, and defend way better than they did in the 19-7 semifinal loss to England in Yokohama in 2019.
Right now England are the third-best team in Europe, behind Ireland and France. No pressure, but heaven help the mood of the rugby nation here if the All Blacks don’t win their last game in 2022.
Shutting down the heavy artillery
England coach Eddie Jones has basically put up a neon sign saying “we’ll bash it upfield” by picking two No 8s whose forte is making hard yards with the ball - Billy Vunipola, who weighs 130kg, and Sam Simmonds, who’ll play at blindside flanker.
The All Blacks pack has three players, props Ethan de Groot and Tyrel Lomax and flanker Dalton Papali’i, who didn’t play in Yokohama, and it should hearten Kiwi fans that de Groot and Papali’i in particular thrive on nose to nose collisions. Vital tackles were too often missed in 2019. If they’re made at Twickenham the All Blacks will win.
In the English backline most media attention this week has been on Owen Farrell, playing his 100th test. But for me the man to watch will be Manu Tuilagi in the centres. At 1.85m and 110kg he’s a couple of centimetres taller, and 2kg heavier, than Ma’a Nonu in his prime, and while he doesn’t have Nonu’s huge range of skills, Tuilagi is still a fearsome prospect when he runs the ball. Tuilagi was the man strong enough to plunge through the attempted tackle of Owen Franks to score the first try in England’s World Cup win in 2019. Shutting him down at Twickenham will be a must for Rieko Ioane and Jordie Barrett.
Chances to run
Cloud but no rain is predicted in London for the test, which should suit All Blacks fliers Ioane, Beauden Barrett, Caleb Clarke, and Mark Telea, who had a hugely impressive debut against Scotland. Finding space out wide won’t be easy, but give any of the flying four a metre’s start and they could break the game wide open.
Caleb Clarke in action against Argentina. Photo / Photosport
Welcome back big guy
Brodie Retallick is proof that greatness doesn’t always show itself early in a career. Born in Rangiora outside Christchurch, he was considered a bit too tubby as a Christchurch Boys’ High player, and as a 19-year-old he had to go to Napier to play representative rugby. In Hamilton for the Chiefs in 2012 he was initially mostly famous for being the biggest Vespa rider in the Waikato, but by the end of the season he was a first choice All Black.
One hundred games into his career he’s so good that in a best of all-time All Blacks team he’d be locking the scrum with Colin Meads.
Irish eyes are gleaming
Fresh from a loss to Italy, the Wallabies couldn’t have picked a tougher task for redemption than playing Ireland in Dublin. Ireland offer what Australia can’t achieve - consistency, a super solid pack, a masterful first-five and goalkicker in captain Johnny Sexton, and a measured, consistent, game plan.
