Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

England vs New Zealand: The match everyone wants in 2017 ... but rugby does not need

The All Blacks perform the haka ahead of the 2015 World Cup final against Australia at Twickenham

England could face New Zealand as early as November this year, but this is why they shouldn’t

ADVERTISEMENT

Suddenly, the international rugby match everyone wants may take place later this year, rather than late next year.

English RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie this week confirmed that he had been in touch with his opposite number at the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU), Steven Tew, about the possibility of squeezing in a match between England and New Zealand at Twickenham in early November, outside the official international window.

It has been suggested that England could face the All Blacks‘ opponents on November 4, a date already pencilled in on the world number one team’s fixture list for a match against the Barbarians to mark the 125th anniversary of the New Zealand union.

But negotiations are still taking place over that November 4 fixture, which has given Ritchie the chance to suggest that England could step in – even though as recently as last November, he had suggested England would no longer seek to pay teams for matches outside Test windows.

As reported elsewhere on Rugby Pass, an RFU spokesperson has been widely quoted in the rugby media as saying: “We are playing New Zealand in 2018 – if the opportunity comes up for us to play them before then, we will pursue it.”

It sounds nearly perfect. Rising England, ranked second in the world, against New Zealand, the rugby nation to rule them all for the better part of the past 125 years. To be the best – coach Eddie Jones’s stated ambition – England have to beat the best. That’s New Zealand. To stay the best, New Zealand have to beat all pretenders.

ADVERTISEMENT

Right now, England vs New Zealand is the heavyweight match that all of rugby wants. The two best sides in rugby today going at it hammer and tongs in a blood-and-thunder winner-takes-all clash for the ages.

To keep the boxing analogy running just a little longer – the sole issue that could scupper the plans, apparently, is money.

New Zealand want a slice of the gate. Given they are supplying the biggest draw in world rugby, for New Zealanders that’s a no-brainer. In the past, the English have refused this demand. For the RFU, this too has been a no-brainer – not least because host nations are not obliged to share this revenue with their opponents. It’s not as if they need the attraction of New Zealand to do it, as they fill Twickenham at every England game.

Besides, this may be the heavyweight rugby match everyone wants – but is it the match rugby needs?

ADVERTISEMENT

[rugbypass-ad-banner id=”1473306980″]

Between June 24 and November 25, the All Blacks are scheduled to play 14 internationals, including the Barbarians-or-England game. In those five short months, they will first play the British and Irish Lions in New Zealand three times; head to Sydney for the first match of The Rugby Championship; return to New Zealand for matches in Dunedin, New Plymouth and Albany; then fly out to as yet unconfirmed venues in Argentina and South Africa, before winning the tournament in Brisbane.

Two weeks later, they will play the first of the November internationals in Europe. After the Barbarians-or-England match in London, they still have to play France in Paris, Scotland in Edinburgh, and Wales in Cardiff.

Player fatigue has to be an issue. Yes, these are elite players; yes, they are monstrously fit and supremely motivated; yes, they are well cared for; and, yes, this is what they do and they are well paid for doing it. But that’s a killer schedule – and while it would be inaccurate and unfair to suggest that a match against the Barbarians is easy, it’s safe to say England would be serious step up in intensity.

Then, there’s the All Blacks possible opponents, who are already part of the way through their international year. By the time November 4 comes around, they will have finished the Six Nations and completed a two-Test tour of Argentina; their players will be well into their domestic and European seasons.

Complicating matters is the summer’s Lions’ tour – 10 big matches in little more than a month, including three official Tests (and the other seven matches look pretty close to Test-level), await the 35 players heading out to New Zealand this summer.

Jones has already said he will give those England players selected for the Lions tour a break in the November internationals to prevent burnout – and England do not play as many Tests as New Zealand. It will also give him a chance to try out different combinations and bring in new players to the England set-up for the confirmed matches against Argentina, Australia and Samoa, with the possibility of that added All Blacks Test.

What we are actually looking at is a late upgrade to an already punishing schedule and the possibility of a knackered New Zealand side at the arse-end of another punishing long-haul international season, taking on a weakened England side that – unless Jones performs a u-turn on his pledge to rest his Lions – will be shorn of a sizeable selection of the players who got them to number two in the world and had everyone wondering whether this England could finally topple the All Blacks. Even assuming Jones does his u-turn, this England – the one everyone wants to see face the All Blacks – will be coming into the game cold, having not played together since Ireland in Dublin on Saturday, March 18, unless they find an opponent to play outside the international window a week earlier.

That suddenly doesn’t sound as enticing as the two best sides in rugby today going at it hammer and tongs in a blood-and-thunder winner-takes-all clash for the ages.

So ask yourself: is this the match that anyone really wants?

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

B
BeamMeUp 1 hour ago
The Springboks have something you don't have

A few comments. Firstly, I am a Bok fan and it's been a golden period for us. I hope my fellow Bok fans appreciate this time and know that it cannot last forever, so soak it all in!


The other thing to mention (and this is targeted at Welsh, English and even Aussie supporters who might be feeling somewhat dejected) is that it's easy to forget that just before Rassie Erasmus took over in 2018, the Boks were ranked 7th in the world and I had given up hope we'd ever be world beaters again.


Sport is a fickle thing and Rassie and his team have managed to get right whatever little things it takes to make a mediocre team great. I initially worried his methods might be short-lived (how many times can you raise a person's commitment by talking about his family and his love of his country as a motivator), but he seems to have found a way. After winning in 2019 on what was a very simple game plan, he has taken things up ever year - amazing work which has to be applauded! (Dankie Rassie! Ons wardeer wat jy vir die ondersteuners en die land doen!) (Google translate if you don't understand Afrikaans! 😁)


I don't think people outside South Africa fully comprehend the enormity of the impact seeing black and white, English, Afrikaans and Xhosa and all the other hues playing together does for the country's sense of unity. It's pure joy and happiness.


This autumn tour has been a bit frustrating in that the Boks have won, but never all that convincingly. On the one hand, I'd like to have seen more decisive victories, BUT what Rassie has done is expose a huge number of players to test rugby, whilst also diversifying the way the Boks play (Tony Brown's influence).


This change of both style and personnel has resulted in a lack of cohesion at times and we've lost some of the control, whereas had we been playing our more traditional style, that wouldn't happen. This is partially attributable to the fact that you cannot play Tony Brown's expansive game whilst also having 3 players available at every contact point to clear the defence off the ball. I have enjoyed seeing the Boks play a more exciting, less attritional game, which is a boring, albeit effective spectacle. So, I am happy to be patient, because the end justifies the means (and I trust Rassie!). Hopefully all these players we are blooding will give us incredible options for substitutions come next year's Rugby Championship and of course, the big prize in 2027.


Last point! The game of rugby has never been as exciting as it is now. Any of Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Argentina, Scotland, England & Australia can beat one another. South Africa may be ranked #1, but I wouldn't bet my house in them beating France or New Zealand, and we saw Argentina beating both South Africa and New Zealand this year! That's wonderful for the game and makes the victories we do get all the sweeter. Each win is 100% earned. Long may it last!


Sorry for the long post! 🏉🌍

12 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Fissler Confidential: Willie le Roux rumours ignite after Bok star spotted Fissler Confidential: Willie le Roux rumours ignite after Bok star spo
Search