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Home / Sport / Rugby / All Blacks

Tony Veitch: The rugby match we all want, but won't get

By Tony Veitch
NZ Herald·
14 Mar, 2017 02:50 AM4 mins to read

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New Zealand's Aaron Smith and Danny Care of England. Photo / Photosport

New Zealand's Aaron Smith and Danny Care of England. Photo / Photosport

In an idyllic perfect world, the world title fight of rugby would be a lock-in for November this year.

England v the All Blacks.

A sold out Twickenham. A week of Steve Hansen and Eddie Jones on the verbal offensive.
How good would that be?

Finally, the question would be answered: Who is the best of the best on the planet right now?

Alas, it's not going to happen.

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This grudge test match is not even an option for what NZRU boss Steve Tew describes as 'a necessary revenue generating item' in the 2017 budgets.

So, if not England, who?

The most obvious port of call is 'Revenge in Chicago'. Let Hansen's boys make amends for that historic loss to Ireland.

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Cue Steve Tew: "It won't be that."

Here's the No. 1 issue for the All Black coaches who have significant sway on how the international calendar shapes up.

Test fatigue.

And you can understand how that could be a significant factor once the Lions have left town. It avoids a repeat of 2012 when a clearly shattered All Black team were bulldozed by Manu Tuilagi.

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I would hazard a guess that Hansen doesn't want to give a sucker - that being Eddie Jones - an even break two years out from the World Cup.

What awaits his side this November tour is France, Scotland and Wales. Tew confirmed to me the match will be in Europe, but unlikely to be against a tier one nation. So, as much as we all want it, England v the All Blacks is just going to have to wait.

That's not to say there is not going to be some interesting by-play off the field between these two outspoken and often quirky coaches.

Hansen played the ultimate diplomat this week, to quote the Kiwi coach, 'New Zealand rugby fans will be happy' that England is now on the verge of rugby history. This was during an extensive interview with the BBC. Hansen had to play the gracious card and he played it with aplomb.

There is no doubt England has brought a much needed edge to the world game. You've got to hand it to to the bubbly, sometimes annoying Aussie - the way Jones has turned around this team embarrassed and thrown-out-of-its-own World Cup has been a revelation.

With Australia's teams making their worst start to a Super Rugby season in seven years - and South Africa still fighting internal politics and a player exodus, as much I hate to endorse Hansen's sentiments, England winning is great for rugby.

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Do we have to like it? Not a chance.

To be honest, Hansen was far more forthright with me on my NewstalkZB show a couple of weeks back, when he admitted losing the record for most successive victories would hurt.

It's England after all. It's the team most All Black fans despise losing to. I know having spent a test match in London on the press benches with the English scribes who love nothing more than denigrating the All Blacks in every shape and form.

It's a hideous experience to be at Twickenham when the AB's are losing to the white army. It's an equally hideous experience when the All Blacks are perceived to be getting preferential treatment from the referee. Forget about journalistic impartiality, these guys just let rip. I could not believe the pure anger of these blokes. It was utterly bizarre and this was when the All Blacks were nowhere near the dominant force of today.

So, the question I have for you is a very simple one. If England complete their world record winning streak against Ireland, will it really irk you as an All Black fan?

Eddie Jones believes his side is building ever so nicely to knock over the back-to-back world champs. But, then Eddie Jones has become the master of controlling the message.
Whereas I reckon Steve Hansen, away from the niceties of the microphones and the media, is thinking bring it on!

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Aren't we all.

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