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Steve Borthwick heaps pressure on All Blacks ahead of second Test

By PA
Steve Borthwick, Head Coach of England, looks on during the Guinness Six Nations 2024 match between France and England at Groupama Stadium on March 16, 2024 in Lyon, France. (Photo by Dan Mullan - RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

England boss Steve Borthwick has stepped up his efforts to unsettle New Zealand ahead of Saturday’s second Test by insisting they will be burdened by expectation at their Eden Park fortress.

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Borthwick has made just one change following the narrow 16-15 defeat in Dunedin by naming Fin Baxter at loosehead prop in place of Joe Marler, who has been ruled out by a foot injury.

And the head coach’s confidence in his team is reflected in his willingness to resume the mind games he started after England fell agonisingly shot in the first of two Tests against the All Blacks.

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Jamie George expecting a more confrontational All Blacks team at Eden Park | Steinlager Series

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    Jamie George expecting a more confrontational All Blacks team at Eden Park | Steinlager Series

    New Zealand have not lost at Eden Park since France triumphed 23-20 in 1994, a 30-year period that spans 48 matches. It is one of the game’s great unbeaten runs, but Borthwick believes that success comes with baggage.

    “Eden Park is a stadium packed with history and with memories of great rugby encounters,” Borthwick said.

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    “We are delighted to be playing there this Saturday in what I anticipate will be another excellent Test encounter.

    “New Zealand has a formidable record at this venue, but with that comes the pressure of expectation.

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    “It will be interesting to see how New Zealand manages that expectation in front of a full house.”

    In a show of faith in the players who let a 15-10 lead slip from their fingertips in the first half at Forsyth Barr Stadium, England have made just one enforced change following Marler’s early exit.

    Baxter replaced his Harlequins team-mate to win his international debut and the 22-year-old rookie made telling contributions, although he was part of an England scrum that was put under pressure by the All Blacks.

    He has now been awarded his full Test debut with Bevan Rodd named amongst the replacements as loosehead cover.

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    Rodd’s selection having started the tour opener against Japan and then been omitted from the 23 altogether in Dunedin is the only adjustment to the bench, the Sale Shark providing loosehead cover.

    Borthwick has opted against naming Dan Cole in the front row as a counter to Baxter’s inexperience, but the Leicester tighthead is still poised to become England’s second-most-capped player.

    The 37-year-old is set to win his 115th cap, surpassing Jason Leonard’s 114 appearances but trailing Ben Youngs’ 127.

    “I’d like to pay special tribute to Dan Cole. He has shown nothing but dedication and determination throughout his career and reaching this milestone is a remarkable feat,” Borthwick said.

    “He’s a superb rugby player and a wonderful role model. We all look forward to sharing a memorable day with him on Saturday.”

    Marcus Smith continues at fly-half with the aim of answering the concerns raised in the first Test over his ability to pull the strings for England.

    Smith was a threat to New Zealand in attack and his running skills and vision were instrumental in Immanuel Feyi-Waboso’s try that registered a 15-10 lead, but he also missed eight points off the kicking tee, including two routine penalties.

    England: G Furbank (Northampton Saints); I Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs), H Slade (Exeter Chiefs), O Lawrence (Bath Rugby), T Freeman (Northampton Saints); M Smith (Harlequins), A Mitchell (Northampton Saints); F Baxter (Harlequins), J George (Saracens, capt), W Stuart (Bath Rugby), M Itoje (Saracens), G Martin (Leicester Tigers), C Cunningham-South (Harlequins), S Underhill (Bath Rugby), B Earl (Saracens).

    Replacements: T Dan (Saracens), B Rodd (Sale Sharks), D Cole (Leicester Tigers), A Coles (Northampton Saints), T Curry (Sale Sharks), B Spencer (Bath Rugby), F Smith (Northampton Saints), O Sleightholme (Northampton Saints).

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    Comments

    13 Comments
    T
    Timgrugpass 266 days ago

    Seriously big boys, the trash talk is big time ‘gentle’.

    H
    Haami 266 days ago

    Yep “pressure”, the All Blacks live with it every waking moment of their day, they take it for walks, and tuck it in at night, and when his mate “expectation” shows up for a sleep over, they have to make extra room on the bus ride for both.

    S
    Stephen 266 days ago

    what are you even talking bout Stevo there’s been 30yrs of pressure at the garden of Eden this weekends test is no different sorry guy you may have to rethink your strategy.

    j
    johnz 267 days ago

    It’s puzzling in a way why Eden park has become such a fortress. It’s not that intimidating nor noisy. But then again, after 30 years of success, these things become self-fulfilling. Who wants to be the the team to break that run buy losing? Yes that’s pressure, but I’m pretty sure that’s good pressure.

    J
    Jmann 267 days ago

    Is there are more articulate captain in world rugby than Jamie George

    T
    Turlough 267 days ago

    I think England can match the intensity of NZ at Eden Park and have more experience in the coaching department to learn the lessons from last week. I believe some of England’s handling was less than it was against Ireland and France. If that’s the case they have a great chance.

    T
    Toaster 267 days ago

    There’s always pressure at Eden Park
    Nice try Steve

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    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    https://www.london.edu/think/how-claudio-ranieri-transformed-leicester-city


    He jts knew how to use that deep well of knowledge accumulate over many years of management. A true Moneyball story!

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    fl 2 hours ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    “Two comparable achievements 15 years apart (at different clubs in different leagues) represent failure and not continued success for an elite level coach/manager? Not even a hint of consistency? Just gradual, inevitable decline? And all because he is in his sixth decade?”

    Why don’t you try reading what I wrote before you start inventing a load of other random things that I didn’t say. I said “Pep hasn’t gotten better with age”. He hasn’t. I don’t think he’s got much worse, and yeah, he’s been fairly consistent over his career and has had more success than almost any other coach. But he hasn’t gotten better.


    “You’ve missed that Mourinho’s early start in football was as a translator for Bobby Robson (ironically a much older manager at the time!).”

    I was actually aware of that. I didn’t mention it because it wasn’t relevant to the fact that Mourinho - aged 52 - had more experience than Arteta does at 43. It also isn’t ironic that Bobby Robson was a much older manager at the time - it actually confirms by point that a lot of the top football managers used to be older than they are today.


    “You suggested that Les Kiss would not be suited to an international coaching role because of his age profile…that seemed to relate to rugby”

    That did relate to rugby. Let me walk you through the thread…


    NB suggested that Les Kiss should become Australia head coach in 2027.

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    I said: “Not all sports are going the same way though” then gave the example of football.


    The example of football was introduced in order to make the point that the age profile of managers is not the same in every sport. If you had read the thread you were replying to you would know this!

    167 Go to comments
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