Rugby: England to take on All Blacks in 'mini World Cup' at Twickenham

Brodie Retallick of the All Blacks in action against England during the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Photo / Photosport

England are to host New Zealand at Twickenham for the first time in four years next November in a 'mini-World Cup' campaign that also includes their France 2023 pool rivals Argentina and Japan and should land the Rugby Football Union a major financial windfall.

A first meeting with the All Blacks since England's 2019 World Cup semifinal victory will likely generate in excess of £15 million ($29.4 million) for the RFU, with top tickets predicted to exceed £200, although prices won't be finalised until next March.

Corporate hospitality packages went on sale on Wednesday, with a top price of £1,749 (plus VAT) per person in the 6,500-capacity facility in the East Stand.

The RFU's decision to raise 8,000 of its premium match tickets to a previous record price of £195 four years ago did not deter supporters, with the 82,000-capacity Twickenham sold out months in advance for what was then the first meeting of the two sides since 2014.

The fixture four years ago came close to generating £15m and the RFU hopes that, with beneficial conditions, next year's match will exceed that total. Plus, with three home games in the Six Nations to follow next season, the RFU could generate total revenue of over £200m. It would certainly come as a welcome boost after revenues last year were nearly £120m less than pre-Covid forecasts.

The RFU board, however, faces a trickier task this time coming up with a pricing structure for match tickets given the uncertainty of any impact from the pandemic on demand, and it is expected the children tickets will feature again as they did in 2018.

England open their autumn campaign against Argentina and Japan, their 2023 World Cup pool rivals, before a high-octane finish with matches against the All Blacks and the Springboks, both of whom England could face in the knock-out stages if they are to win the tournament.

South Africa may not be able to select players who are based overseas because the match falls outside the Test window but it still represents a formidable autumn campaign which Jones hopes will intensify his side's preparations for the 2023 tournament in France and will replicate the intensity of a World Cup.

England had been due to play the All Blacks at Twickenham last year but New Zealand were unable to travel because of Covid restrictions. That delay may now better suit England's plans.

"These fixtures will be a really important part of our preparation for the 2023 World Cup," said Jones. "It's almost a mini-World Cup in itself and we're fortunate to have it less than a year before the tournament.

"It will be a good litmus test for the team to see where we are at, culminating in playing first and second in the world.

"We saw how much of a difference having a full Twickenham stadium was this autumn and we can't wait to play a series of games against such quality opposition in front of our supporters."

Autumn campaign shows that all eyes are fixed on World Cup 2023

The combination of these fixtures has not happened by chance. England's autumn campaign next year has been forensically assembled by Eddie Jones with a view to the World Cup in France in 2023.

The four-match campaign not only resembles the demands of a World Cup pool but includes two of England's opponents, Argentina and Japan, playing them in the same order as they will in France the following year.

With England opening their autumn campaign on Sunday, November 6, there will be an extra degree of pressure on the players and management team with just a six-day turnaround ahead of the Japan game on November 12.

In the World Cup, England will face Argentina in Marseilles and Japan in Nice with an eight-day turnaround.

With a World Cup mindset dominating their preparations, the match against New Zealand will then replicate the intensity of a knock-out match, as will the finale against the reigning world champions South Africa, even if they are without their overseas-based players because of the fact that game is scheduled outside of World Rugby's international window.

For that reason, it is the game against New Zealand that will define the autumn and also provide a moment to make a psychological statement ahead of the World Cup.

In 2018, the last time England hosted New Zealand, Jones' side raced into a 15-0 lead, only for the All Blacks to edge a 16-15 win after a late try by Sam Underhill was ruled out. A year later England produced their best performance of Jones' tenure with their thrilling victory over the All Blacks in the World Cup semifinal in Japan.