Whatever else they have planned, England’s ideal response to the Haka should be to stare it down, then beat the All Blacks. Simple. Well, not really, but that’s the only retort that matters.
So much of the build-up to a thunderous showdown has been about what will take place before kick-off, but New Zealand’s traditional challenge and how the hosts face it will not dictate the outcome. And for Steve Borthwick, there is so much onus on the outcome on Saturday. The stakes are especially high going into this Autumn Nations Series opener at Twickenham.
After a week when the biggest statements have been made by a player not currently in the England camp, the time has come for an almighty statement by the men on duty. Joe Marler’s social media comments have heightened the pre-match tension and anticipation — now it is up to Jamie George and Co to withstand whatever backlash awaits from antagonised rivals.
The unavoidable elephant in the room — or the stadium — is that England as yet lack sufficient return on so much evident potential. Borthwick’s regime urgently needs another scalp to justify the praise for an overhaul process which has made his team multi-dimensional and fun to watch.
A narrow win against Ireland, ranked No 1 in the world, in March remains the only seismic result of the head coach’s tenure. So far in 2024, England have played eight Tests and won four; against Italy, Wales, Ireland and Japan. They have lost to Scotland, France and the All Blacks — twice. Borthwick’s side have not turned the sport’s hierarchy upside down, yet.
A difficult autumn is in prospect if this first outing goes against the home side, given that South Africa visit Twickenham in a fortnight. That clash with the world champions is the one game where England will be regarded as the clear outsiders.
So, they need this one. A two-from-four return in November would not be enough to validate all the sterling work going on behind the scenes and banish the suspicion that summer management upheaval has had a damaging impact.
The shock defection of Aled Walters, the former head of strength and conditioning, and defence coach Felix Jones — who is serving his notice period from afar — created untimely disruption for Borthwick, which has still not been fully resolved.
Both teams could attempt to beat the other at their own game. For all the focus on recent tactical expansion, England need their pack to front up against a side who have added giant prop Tamaiti Williams to an already potent front-row mix.
Expertly overseen by forwards coach Jason Ryan, the All Blacks gained a significant set-piece edge during the matches in New Zealand in July and Borthwick flew home concerned by a lack of clout at tighthead. However, he has the same starter there on Saturday, in Will Stuart. It is a big day for the Bath No 3, who is not always first-choice for his club.
The 37-year-old Dan Cole remains in reserve, but a positional succession plan needs to take shape soon. Ellis Genge is back in the England XV five weeks after being shoved around and given a cheeky send-off by Gloucester’s rookie prop sensation, Afolabi Fasogbon.
Genge’s gracious reaction to that episode was a credit to him, but the vice-captain will want to deliver a very different response on Saturday if the opposition believe he is there for the taking.
It goes without saying that New Zealand will target this crucial area. Asked if that is the plan, head coach Scott Robertson grinned and said pointedly: ‘The scrum is one of our strengths. We like to use it positively.’
His starting props — Williams and Tyrel Lomax — have a combined weight of 42.5 stone, compared to England’s 38.25. They will present a monstrous barrier to English ambitions. Everyone thinks that New Zealand just play razzle-dazzle rugby, which is not the case. With the experienced Beauden Barrett restored at No 10, they will adapt to a northern autumn but also possess innate steel.
This is a team led by Beauden’s aggressive brother, Scott; the only All Black to have received two red cards in Test rugby. The visitors will steam into England up front. In 2017, before the first Lions Test, all the talk had been about the Kiwis’ threat out wide, but instead they beat up the tourists with a route-one onslaught.
England have tooled up for a physical confrontation with a 6-2 bench split. They know that what’s coming won’t just be pace and pretty patterns. Both teams will be braced for early ferocity, while also seeking to cure a tendency to fall away in the last half-hour.
New Zealand have Damian McKenzie and electric scrum-half Cam Roigard among their back-up cast on the bench to create a spark if needed, while England have Harry Randall and George Ford, who could take over the conductor’s baton, with Marcus Smith switched to full back.
But Ford is short of recent game-time and he’s not the only England player in that category, with centre Henry Slade starting despite managing just 54 minutes of competitive action since shoulder surgery in the summer.
If the highly valued Exeter centre can’t take the strain, Borthwick has a problem on his hands after a risky selection. That would be another unfortunate twist, following Ollie Chessum’s withdrawal due to a knee injury, which messed up the plans for his pack.
There are more questions and doubts. Can Chandler Cunningham-South deliver the rampaging form of last season, after a slow start to the new campaign with Harlequins? England need the flanker to be the force of nature who made such an impression in the land of his birth in July.
Can new defence coach Joe El-Abd seamlessly replace Jones and unleash a similarly threatening English blitz? Will scrum-half Ben Spencer replicate his imperious form for Bath on his first Test start and hit the tempo target set by his coaches?
The World Rugby rankings have New Zealand third and England fifth. The bookies have the All Blacks as favourites, which is a fair reflection — just about. But at home, England will fancy their chances of upsetting the odds, if they can live up to their proud forward heritage, to quell the Kiwis’ power play.
The heart says England by three, the head says the opposite. Whatever way it goes, it should be a pulsating occasion and a close contest.
