England vs New Zealand: The match everyone wants in 2017 ... but rugby does not need
England could face New Zealand as early as November this year, but this is why they shouldn’t
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.
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?
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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?
Comments on RugbyPass
Why cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to comments