England v All Blacks

Strengths of that England team

It has won nine on the bounce and has lots of potential. It plays with high work rate, smart structure, astute kicking and growing attacking variety.

1. Defensive Intensity and Breakdown Pressure

With Underhill, Earl, Pepper, Curry, Pollock and Itoje (so many pests who will be looking for turnovers) England have one of the most disruptive defensive packs in world rugby.

Relentless line speed and chop tackling from their defence will also create turnover opportunities.

2. Aerial and Territorial Control

Steward, Ford, and Mitchell give England a reliable kick-chase and territorial base.

Roebuck and Feyi-Waboso are good at the chase and in the air.

3. Leadership and Experience

George, Itoje, Ford, and Steward form a calm, experienced axis that anchors younger players.

Composure under pressure has improved dramatically since 2023.

4. Set-Piece Reliability

Scrum looks solid with Baxter-George-Heyes; lineout options in Itoje, Coles, Earl.

Ford is a solid goalkicker.

England's work on kickoffs is excellent.

5. Versatility in the Back Row

Earl, Underhill, and Pepper/Curry offer complementary styles — mobility, power, and work rate.

Cunningham-South and Pollock add bench dynamism.

Three back row players on the bench is a bold call.

6. Counterattack Potential

Feyi-Waboso, Earl and Pollock in broken play are lethal.

Ford and Mitchell can quickly switch to attacking width when turnover ball arises.

7. Emerging Depth and Balance

Blend of young talent (Baxter, Pepper, Pollock, Feyi-Waboso) with seasoned Test heads (George, Itoje, Curry, Ford)

Strong “finishers” bench — Smith, Genge, Curry, Pollock, Cunningham-South.

Thank you Catogrande and Sparky for the detail about the English players. I know most of the regular players by reputation but appreciate getting to know more about the newer squad members.

Is it fair to say Borthwick has deliberately packed the bench with typical starters / stronger players – specifically front row and Curry?

@JA said in England Vs All Blacks:

Thank you Catogrande and Sparky for the detail about the English players. I know most of the regular players by reputation but appreciate getting to know more about the newer squad members.

Is it fair to say Borthwick has deliberately packed the bench with typical starters / stronger players – specifically front row and Curry?

It certainly looks that way. It could easlly be said that the bench options at forward are stronger than the starters and in the last two games they have brought a lot of power and dynamism to finish the game off. The counter to that though is that we were still in the lead in both instances. Such a strategy may not work if you're 20 points down when all your best players come on. A bit like stacking the back end of your singles at the Ryder Cup to finish the match off only to find you've already lost it.

@Bones said in England Vs All Blacks:

@MiketheSnow said in England Vs All Blacks:

Pine Posse

Yeah if we're talking NZ, it can't be a positive name eh, got to be some kind of gang/posse/cabal.

I think Black Power's taken.

Black Bomb Cohort

@Bones said in England Vs All Blacks:

Black Bomb Cohort

Gastro sufferers?

While we're on nicknames, that Netflix show "Baby Reindeer", has had me calling the Spring Boks that ever since.

Seems annoy Saffa mates, so I will continue with it.

@Snowy said in England Vs All Blacks:

While we're on nicknames, that Netflix show "Baby Reindeer", has had me calling the Spring Boks that ever since.

Seems annoy Saffa mates, so I will continue with it.

Note to self: never watch that Netflix show Baby Reindeer

@W32 said in England Vs All Blacks:

@Snowy said in England Vs All Blacks:

While we're on nicknames, that Netflix show "Baby Reindeer", has had me calling the Spring Boks that ever since.

Seems annoy Saffa mates, so I will continue with it.

Note to self: never watch that Netflix show Baby Reindeer

That is actually very good advice.

Imagine if an injury occurs to Itoje or Coles. Who's gonna play lock ? Cunningham-South ? This English pack is shorter than the ABs'.

@W32 said in England Vs All Blacks:

@Bones said in England Vs All Blacks:

Black Bomb Cohort

Gastro sufferers?

Blacked?

The Heimlich Manuever. Prevents choking

@Boourns said in England Vs All Blacks:

@W32 said in England Vs All Blacks:

@Bones said in England Vs All Blacks:

Black Bomb Cohort

Gastro sufferers?

Blacked?

Sorry my twisted sense of humor kicked in. Black bomb cohort sounds like a group of people suffering from irritable bowl syndrome.

Sponsored by Depends

Not sure if this has been posted but Caleb Tangitau has joined the ABs squad in London.

@Canes4life said in England Vs All Blacks:

Not sure if this has been posted but Caleb Tangitau has joined the ABs squad in London.

That is absurd to me. He has gaping holes in his game he needs to address.

@Canes4life it has, along with Beehre & CLW given Finau & Jacobsen heading home (family illness and concussion respectively)

@antipodean said in England Vs All Blacks:

@Canes4life said in England Vs All Blacks:

Not sure if this has been posted but Caleb Tangitau has joined the ABs squad in London.

That is absurd to me. He has gaping holes in his game he needs to address.

So does Reece, so does Carter. So did NMS. So did Jonah.
And it's just for training.

@taniwharugby said in England Vs All Blacks:

@Canes4life it has, along with Beehre & CLW given Finau & Jacobsen heading home (family illness and concussion respectively)

Finau's family are probably sick of waiting for him to get a run.

@antipodean said in England Vs All Blacks:

@Canes4life said in England Vs All Blacks:

Not sure if this has been posted but Caleb Tangitau has joined the ABs squad in London.

That is absurd to me. He has gaping holes in his game he needs to address.

I think it's tough to judge him on the shitshow that was the Auckland NPC season where nearly everyone looked bad - if he was on the wing for Otago in the NPC as a comparison....

@antipodean attack wise Tangitau is a weapon 14 tries in 15 games in 2025 and let's not forget before his groin injury in super this year he had gained more metres in play than international outsides Will Jordan, Tom Wright, Sevu Reece, Caleb Clarke, Harry Potter & Max Jorgensen. there's only been 1 specific instance where I vividly remember him being well beaten in the air by the big Turbos winger Filimone. any and all deficiencies can be worked on by the guidance of Robertson & Ellison

@Grooter said in England Vs All Blacks:

any and all deficiencies can be worked on by the guidance of Robertson & Ellison

@antipodean This All Blacks team is screaming for some X-Factor on the wing.

I wouldn’t describe Clarke nor Carter as X-Factor types. Fainga’anuku is a good ball runner but doesn’t have that top end speed Tangitau has.

@DaGrubster said in England Vs All Blacks:

CLW, Josh Beehre and Caleb Tangitau added to the squad as training cover.

Finau and Jacobsen are heading home

Clarke, Jordan, Tangitau - the back 3 for 2027 World Cup?

@restofit said in England Vs All Blacks:

@DaGrubster said in England Vs All Blacks:

CLW, Josh Beehre and Caleb Tangitau added to the squad as training cover.

Finau and Jacobsen are heading home

Clarke, Jordan, Tangitau - the back 3 for 2027 World Cup?

It sounds exciting but I honestly don't see us winning an RWC with Jordan at 15.

We need someone at fullback with a better aerial game, a better boot, and a better play making ability.

@brodean said in England Vs All Blacks:

@restofit said in England Vs All Blacks:

@DaGrubster said in England Vs All Blacks:

CLW, Josh Beehre and Caleb Tangitau added to the squad as training cover.

Finau and Jacobsen are heading home

Clarke, Jordan, Tangitau - the back 3 for 2027 World Cup?

It sounds exciting but I honestly don't see us winning an RWC with Jordan at 15.

We need someone at fullback with a better aerial game, a better boot, and a better play making ability.

That doesn't have standard clearing kicks on regulation plays go well over his head.

@brodean said in England Vs All Blacks:

@restofit said in England Vs All Blacks:

@DaGrubster said in England Vs All Blacks:

CLW, Josh Beehre and Caleb Tangitau added to the squad as training cover.

Finau and Jacobsen are heading home

Clarke, Jordan, Tangitau - the back 3 for 2027 World Cup?

It sounds exciting but I honestly don't see us winning an RWC with Jordan at 15.

We need someone at fullback with a better aerial game, a better boot, and a better play making ability.

Lol, the WC isn't going to be won or lost depending on whether Jordan plays 15 or 14 for god's sake.

@restofit said in England Vs All Blacks:

@brodean said in England Vs All Blacks:

@restofit said in England Vs All Blacks:

@DaGrubster said in England Vs All Blacks:

CLW, Josh Beehre and Caleb Tangitau added to the squad as training cover.

Finau and Jacobsen are heading home

Clarke, Jordan, Tangitau - the back 3 for 2027 World Cup?

It sounds exciting but I honestly don't see us winning an RWC with Jordan at 15.

We need someone at fullback with a better aerial game, a better boot, and a better play making ability.

Lol, the WC isn't going to be won or lost depending on whether Jordan plays 15 or 14 for god's sake.

Of course there are other factors but who plays at fullback is still a factor.

It’s so frustrating seeing us piss around picking first choice players on the bench on purpose, front row is insane. Also disappointed we’re going with Ford at 10 instead of investing in Smith (either frankly). Steward isn’t good enough.

The sad thing for me is that I think this AB side is beatable - much more so than it’s felt in the past, and yet we are fiddling around with things we have control over that will potentially cost us the game.

Borthwick is such a lump

@frugby said in England Vs All Blacks:

This All Blacks team is screaming for some X-Factor on the wing.

For me that's Will Jordan. He really doesn't have the skills to be a Test 15.

@Victor-Meldrew said in England Vs All Blacks:

@frugby said in England Vs All Blacks:

This All Blacks team is screaming for some X-Factor on the wing.

For me that's Will Jordan. He really doesn't have the skills to be a Test 15.

Who does? I’m not convinced by Love (I think he is a 10). Who are the alternatives? NZ are crying out for the new Israel Dagg to make his appearance.

@reprobate said in England Vs All Blacks:

@antipodean said in England Vs All Blacks:

@Canes4life said in England Vs All Blacks:

Not sure if this has been posted but Caleb Tangitau has joined the ABs squad in London.

That is absurd to me. He has gaping holes in his game he needs to address.

So does Reece, so does Carter. So did NMS. So did Jonah.
And it's just for training.

Fortunately we’ve had the flawless Ralph, Hamilton and Bridge over the years to balance out those gaping holes….

@stodders said in England Vs All Blacks:

@Victor-Meldrew said in England Vs All Blacks:

@frugby said in England Vs All Blacks:

This All Blacks team is screaming for some X-Factor on the wing.

For me that's Will Jordan. He really doesn't have the skills to be a Test 15.

Who does? I’m not convinced by Love (I think he is a 10). Who are the alternatives? NZ are crying out for the new Israel Dagg to make his appearance.

If you’re feeling sentimental and bored, rewatch the first 2017 lions test again. Dagg was genuinely unreal that game with his kicking and ability to tidy up shit ball. Amazing to think we had Mils, Dagg, Smith consecutively

@jimmyb said in England Vs All Blacks:

@stodders said in England Vs All Blacks:

@Victor-Meldrew said in England Vs All Blacks:

@frugby said in England Vs All Blacks:

This All Blacks team is screaming for some X-Factor on the wing.

For me that's Will Jordan. He really doesn't have the skills to be a Test 15.

Who does? I’m not convinced by Love (I think he is a 10). Who are the alternatives? NZ are crying out for the new Israel Dagg to make his appearance.

If you’re feeling sentimental and bored, rewatch the first 2017 lions test again. Dagg was genuinely unreal that game with his kicking and ability to tidy up shit ball. Amazing to think we had Mils, Dagg, Smith consecutively

We've had a real inability to play out of our own half, particularly after receiving kick offs, since Dagg finished.

Wondering based on training coverage if Lord will get start with Farbian as super sub.

@Dodge said in England Vs All Blacks:

It’s so frustrating seeing us piss around picking first choice players on the bench on purpose, front row is insane. Also disappointed we’re going with Ford at 10 instead of investing in Smith (either frankly). Steward isn’t good enough.

The sad thing for me is that I think this AB side is beatable - much more so than it’s felt in the past, and yet we are fiddling around with things we have control over that will potentially cost us the game.

Borthwick is such a lump

It’s so frustrating seeing us piss around picking first choice players on the bench on purpose. The back row is insane. Disappointed we’re going with BB at 10 instead of investing in DMac

The sad thing for me is that I think this England side is beatable - much more so than it’s felt in the past, and yet we are fiddling around with things we have control over that will potentially cost us the game.

Razor is such a lump

@ACT-Crusader said in England Vs All Blacks:

@reprobate said in England Vs All Blacks:

@antipodean said in England Vs All Blacks:

@Canes4life said in England Vs All Blacks:

Not sure if this has been posted but Caleb Tangitau has joined the ABs squad in London.

That is absurd to me. He has gaping holes in his game he needs to address.

So does Reece, so does Carter. So did NMS. So did Jonah.
And it's just for training.

Fortunately we’ve had the flawless Ralph, Hamilton and Bridge over the years to balance out those gaping holes….

Ralph Hamilton Bridge sounds like a great name for the next structure built over the Avon.

@pakman said in England Vs All Blacks:

Wondering based on training coverage if Lord will get start with Farbian as super sub.

While I'm at it, Lord Farbian is surely a Blackadder character.

@Bones said in England Vs All Blacks:

@pakman said in England Vs All Blacks:

Wondering based on training coverage if Lord will get start with Farbian as super sub.

While I'm at it, Lord Farbian is surely a Blackadder character.

Nah, he was the short guy in Shrek

@stodders said in England Vs All Blacks:

@Victor-Meldrew said in England Vs All Blacks:

@frugby said in England Vs All Blacks:

This All Blacks team is screaming for some X-Factor on the wing.

For me that's Will Jordan. He really doesn't have the skills to be a Test 15.

Who does? I’m not convinced by Love (I think he is a 10). Who are the alternatives? NZ are crying out for the new Israel Dagg to make his appearance.

Alternative : ENS

@Bones said in England Vs All Blacks:

@pakman said in England Vs All Blacks:

Wondering based on training coverage if Lord will get start with Farbian as super sub.

While I'm at it, Lord Farbian is surely a Blackadder character.

Apparently that’s the correct pronunciation! ‍️