England tour New Zealand for two tests, as they return here for the first time since 2014.
The two teams open the series in Dunedin this Saturday before squaring off at Eden Park on July 13.
The last time the two teams clashed was at Twickenham in 2022 when England scored three late tries in the final nine minutes to force a 25-25 draw.
Liam Napier has been a sports journalist since 2010, and his work has taken him to World Cups in rugby, netball and cricket, boxing world title fights and Commonwealth Games.
So enamoured were England with the Springboks defence that they went andpinched Felix Jones, the man responsible for its success, earlier this year. Jones, the former Irish international, is a proponent of the umbrella defence that rushes the opposition playmaker and midfield to cramp time and space while leaving width on the edge – if the attacking team is good enough to get the ball there.
The All Blacks have, at times, struggled to counter these prevalent rush defensive systems. The Blues employed similar rush tactics in the Super Rugby final to stifle Damian McKenzie. Jones’ defensive style sets an intriguing battleground and first-up test for Leon MacDonald and Jason Holland’s new All Blacks attack. MacDonald is charged with running the All Blacks phase play attack and selecting the back three.
Holland will design strike moves from set piece and select the midfield. In short, expect McKenzie and the All Blacks playmakers to target the space on the edges with plenty of cross-field kicks. Executing those with defenders in their face won’t be easy, though. While expectations abound for a typical high-scoring encounter under the Dunedin roof, England’s smothering defence will do their utmost to restrict the All Blacks’ freedom.
Leon MacDonald faces his first test as All Blacks attack coach. Photo / Photosport
Breakdown battle
England’s loose forwards are among their strengths. New Zealand rugby audiences tend to be insular in their world rugby view but in openside Sam Underhill, New Zealand-raised blindside Chandler Cunningham-South, No 8 Ben Earl and replacement Tom Curry, England boast a quality quartet of loose forwards who will target the All Blacks ball on the ground.
Throw in Maro Itoje’s menacing presence, and the All Blacks must ensure their breakdown cleaners are swift and effective or England will turn this contest into a dogfight.
To counter England’s defensive rush the All Blacks will want to play at pace. To do that they’ll need strong carriers such as Samipeni Finau and Patrick Tuipulotu punching through the line to generate quick, clean ball. Underhill though, is a noted exponent over the ball. The All Blacks can’t afford to allow England to dominate this source of possession.
Lock Maro Itoje (centre) poses as much of a threat to the All Blacks without the ball in his hands as he does with it. Photo / Getty Images.
No room for rookies?
Twelve years ago Steve Hansen, in his first match leading the All Blacks, handed starting debuts to Aaron Smith, Brodie Retallick and Julian Savea. Smith and Retallick progressed to become All Blacks centurions while Savea, in his pomp, was the world’s premier wing. Scott Robertson and his coaching crew have adopted a far more conservative approach by largely sticking with the tried and true.
This week, there is no room for the five squad rookies – Cortez Ratima, Billy Proctor, Pasilio Tosi, George Bell and Wallace Sititi. Ratima was probably closest to edging his way onto the bench and his running game would, in my opinion, provide much more impact than Finlay Christie.
McKenzie v Smith
Itoje against newly-minted All Blacks captain Scott Barrett. Dalton Papali’i and Underhill. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso colliding with Mark Tele’a. There are any number of individual match-ups to fix your attention. Two dynamic playmakers in McKenzie and Marcus Smith squaring off transcends them all, though. With George Ford remaining at home while injured, Smith has seized the England reins.
Ford and Smith are very different prospects. Ford is methodical, conservative, tactically astute while Smith embraces an attacking first mindset. Smith boasts speed and he reads the field well to create for others but, on defence, expect the All Blacks to target his diminutive frame by running their loose forwards and sending Jordie Barrett charging down his channel.
When England and the All Blacks need a spark, they will turn to McKenzie and Smith.
Damian McKenzie and the All Blacks playmakers are expected to target the space on the edges with plenty of cross-field kicks. Photo / AAP
Advantage England?
The bookies have England at long odds - $4.60 to be exact – to break their seven match, 21-year drought on New Zealand shores. There is one area England harness a clear advantage, though.
That’s in the respective preparation time. While Robertson assembled his non-Super Rugby finalists in camps he and his new coaching team have only had 10 days to prepare the full 32-man squad.
With new language and plays to absorb, that’s a limited window. England, by comparison, savoured a hit out in Japan where they scored eight tries in their rout of Eddie Jones’ men en route to New Zealand. Other than switching his starting props Steve Borthwick has retained the same team that flogged Japan which should ensure England are a cohesive unit against the All Blacks.
For live commentary of All Blacks v England, join Elliott Smith on Newstalk ZB, Gold Sport and iHeartRadio.
You can hear the Alternative Commentary Collective on iHeartRadio, Hauraki and Sky Sport 9.
