New Zealand Rugby News
The All Blacks claimed a 34th win in a row against Wales after an entertaining game in Cardiff. Daniel Gallan was watching
Alrighty, here we go! Nothing to lose for Wales. Just go out there and give it to the All Blacks! A proper chance to make a name.
Hollie Davidson becomes the first female referee to take charge of an All Blacks game.
Continue reading...Team claimed 10th straight win against All Blacks
‘There’s a huge amount of growth,’ says Borthwick
George Ford has called on England to make sure their statement victory against the All Blacks is not a false dawn after Steve Borthwick’s side extended their winning run to 10 matches.
England have moved up to third in the world rankings after their impressive 33-19 win against New Zealand on Saturday and could go second next weekend should they defeat Argentina and Wales spring a surprise against the All Blacks.
Continue reading...George gave Pollock starring role in reaction to All Blacks
England moved into V-shape during traditional dance
Henry Pollock’s starring role in England’s response to the haka was designed by Jamie George, who revealed he took inspiration from the 2019 World Cup semi-final win and admitted they risked poking the bear before clinching a first home win over the All Blacks in 13 years.
George admitted he was the brains behind England’s decision to initially line up as usual while the All Blacks performed their traditional war dance before breaking out into a V-shape. As the eldest player in the squad, George was intentionally on one end with Pollock, the youngest, on the other. The captain Maro Itoje stood at the point of the V, which, in truth, looked more like a C-shaped formation.
Continue reading...A lack of experience has lessened the impact of the All Blacks as many key players are ineligible for selection after moving to Japan
Thursday afternoon, and the All Blacks are out on the training ground around the back of the Lensbury hotel on the banks of the Thames, it’s a warm autumn day, and the mood is pretty free and easy, Will Jordan is practising catching high balls, Beauden Barrett is taking shots at goal, the forwards are packing up after running some drills, head coach, Scott Robertson, is chatting happily with the media before his press conference. Someone asks if his team are looking to make a statement against England on Saturday, the sort that reminds everyone exactly how good they are.
“A statement performance?” Robertson says, perplexed. “We’re just looking for a result.” Time was when every All Blacks performance was a statement performance, and their head coaches didn’t go looking for results against England, or anyone else, they expected them. The remark hung in the air for a moment. It’s only Robertson’s manner. For 20 years the All Blacks press conferences have felt like being called in for an audience with the family patriarch in the back room of a wedding, Robertson’s are more like a catch-up chat with the uncle you are pleased to bump into at the buffet.
Continue reading...Steve Borthwick deserves credit for taking what was a real weakness of England’s and making it one of their strengths
Rugby union is a sport of trends and of unintended consequences and what I expect to be the two most decisive factors in England’s clash with the All Blacks on Saturday are inextricably linked. Much has been made of England’s firepower on their bench – New Zealand’s isn’t bad either – and when coaches are able to call upon such quality replacements, often en masse, then the kicking battle becomes all the more important.
Because the international game is not currently as fluid as it has been. That isn’t necessarily a criticism, it’s just the way things are at present; a little bit like the Premier League where set pieces and long throws are dominating. Of course we would all love to see flowing, attacking rugby but it’s really difficult because all elite sides favour having 13 or 14 men in the line, they all seem to adopt a blitz defence and the sheer level of physicality means it can be hard to have possession. It means that having a good set piece and a good kicking game are paramount and the emerging trend for “bomb squads” accentuates that because less fatigue is taking hold across 80 minutes. That isn’t to say there aren’t some magical moments when teams are on transition – Henry Arundell’s try against Fiji is a great example – but it is clear to me that things are a little old school at the moment.
Continue reading...Steve Borthwick has picked six British & Irish Lions on his bench with a further nod to the growing importance of the endgame
Selecting your best XV to start a big rugby match feels increasingly quaint these days, as redolent of a different era as the Generation Game or Starsky & Hutch. To the point where you half expect to find the home teamsheet to face New Zealand this weekend has D‑N‑A‑L‑G‑N‑E printed at the top of it. Even with the All Blacks in town, the traditional order of selection no longer applies.
Instead it is all about the endgame. On this occasion Steve Borthwick has picked six British & Irish Lions on his bench compared with only four in his starting lineup. At some point around the 50th minute on Saturday there will be a mass discarding of XXL tracksuits and a fresh set of white orcs will rumble on. As South Africa’s “Bomb Squad” have long since shown, it can be mighty hard to combat.
Continue reading...Head coach urges side ‘to give absolutely everything’
Ford returns at fly-half with Itoje back to captain side
Steve Borthwick has called on his side to prepare for “pain and suffering” if they are to end their losing run against the All Blacks, demanding the most selfless England team in history in the showdown on Saturday.
Predicting an aerial bombardment from New Zealand, Borthwick has recalled George Ford, insisting his fly‑half general “will be an England coach in the future”, and again loaded his bench with the “Pom Squad”, including six British & Irish Lions among his replacements.
Continue reading...The veteran All Black duo both grew up on dairy farms and may not have flourished in English rugby’s rigid system
This week’s column is being compiled slightly differently. It’s not easy to type while looking upwards and smiling warmly at the bookshelf but, hey, that’s the price to be paid for method sportswriting. When you’re putting together a piece on Damian McKenzie, the All Blacks’ so-called “smiling assassin”, it’s important to try to get into character.
The head bandage took time to apply as well, as did the fake-blood drizzle of ketchup down the cheek. Anyone who watched the later stages of New Zealand’s win against Scotland on television on Saturday, however, will appreciate why the extra touches felt appropriate. It is not every day a player preparing to kick the clinching points in a major Test resembles a happy, beaten prizefighter.
Continue reading...Steve Borthwick faces major headache before showdown
Alex Coles expected to partner Maro Itoje at second row
Ollie Chessum and Tommy Freeman are serious injury doubts for England’s clash with New Zealand, handing Steve Borthwick a major headache before the showdown at Twickenham on Saturday.
The two British & Irish Lions players sat out training on Monday and their participation against the All Blacks is in jeopardy. Chessum is struggling with a foot injury and was seen on crutches at England’s training base in Bagshot. He was replaced after 70 minutes of the 38-18 victory against Fiji last weekend and, in the likely event he is ruled out, Maro Itoje’s expected second-row partner would be Alex Coles.
Continue reading...The All Blacks resisted a ferocious second-half fightback to maintain their unbeaten record against Scotland
2 mins. A very solid receive, recycle and boot drill from Scotland, featuring 0% nonsense, despatches the ball to touch. NZ warm some of their carriers’ hands with the possession won from the lineout, but it comes to nothing before the ball is spilled forward.
Barrett puts his foot through the ball to get the test match underway
Continue reading...Ireland 13-26 New Zealand
All Blacks trail despite early 20-minute red card for Beirne
Tadhg Beirne was shown a contentious early red card as Ireland’s quest to create more special memories in Chicago ended in an emphatic 26-13 loss against New Zealand. Almost nine years to the day since Ireland’s milestone first victory in the fixture, the All Blacks gained revenge at Soldier Field thanks to tries from Ardie Savea, Tamaiti Williams, Wallace Sititi and Cam Roigard.
Ireland initially overcame the controversial third-minute dismissal of Beirne for a high tackle on Beauden Barrett, who landed three conversions, to lead through a Tadhg Furlong score and eight points from Jack Crowley. But the All Blacks underlined their class in the second half to cruise to victory deservedly.
Continue reading...New Zealand edge Ireland across a scrappy contest to exact revenge for defeat in Chicago nine years ago.
Here come the players. Emerald green and pitch black. Two iconic kits, two iconic teams, two iconic anthems to follow before an iconic Haka.
How good is this?
Continue reading...All Blacks secure 11th straight win over Wallabies
New Zealand run in four tries in wet conditions in Perth
Conditions in Perth are damp. It’s been raining on and off throughout the day so it will be slick under lights. Temperatures are mild and there’s little wind to speak of.
“As a South African following while doing a short stint in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, I am salivating ahead of this pivotal match,” emails Craig Sayers. “Indeed, my medulla oblongata has worked overtime this entire Rugby Championship, considering the effect on my heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure.
Continue reading...New Zealand retain Bledisloe Cup with victory
The Wallabies are being led onto the Eden Park turf by No 1 James Slipper. Today he becomes only the third international to register 150 caps.
Australia are wearing their traditional golden jerseys, green shorts, green socks.
Continue reading...Australia’s No 1o named in starting XV after globetrotting week
James Slipper to become first Wallabies player to reach 150 Tests
Australia flyhalf James O’Connor has been rewarded with the No 10 jersey following his globe-trotting journey while prop James Slipper will become the first Wallaby to play 150 Tests in the Rugby Championship clash against New Zealand on Saturday.
O’Connor flew to England last week to join his new club Leicester Tigers only to head back to the Antipodes days later after being named in Joe Schmidt’s Australia squad for the final two Tests against the All Blacks at Eden Park and Perth.
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