England vs New Zealand: Autumn Nations Series rugby - LIVE!
The All Blacks are set to take on England at Twickenham today, kicking off the 2024 Autumn Nations Series with an exciting match in south-west London. This marks the third encounter between these two rugby giants in just a few months. In their summer series, England put up a strong fight against New Zealand but ultimately fell short in both matches, extending their wait for a victory in New Zealand to over 21 years.
Since that time, there has been a lot of turmoil behind the scenes for England, particularly due to some unexpected coaching changes triggered by the surprising departure of defense expert Felix Jones. This match marks the first for Steve Borthwick’s team since their visit to New Zealand, while the All Blacks have been adapting to Scott Robertson’s leadership during the Rugby Championship, although they were unable to hold onto their title for the first time since 2019.
They have also received extra motivation for the match after a social media uproar sparked by Joe Marler this week. Marler apologized for his provocative suggestion to "get rid of" the Haka, which drew significant criticism and guaranteed that everyone will be focused on this pre-game ritual today. Keep an eye on the live updates for England vs. New Zealand below!
Latest Updates on England vs New Zealand
Scott Barrett: Joe Marler Ignites Haka Controversy
Scott Robertson handled questions about the Joe Marler controversy with great tact. He acknowledged that Marler could have expressed himself more thoughtfully and emphasized that the New Zealand team would talk about how to address the situation in a respectful manner.
Although Scott Barrett maintains that the All Blacks already have plenty of motivation for a significant match like this, the New Zealand captain acknowledged that Marler had "primed the pump."
"He's likely already put a bullet in the chamber, right?" Barrett mentioned on Friday.
There will always be differing views on the haka and its significance. For us, it holds great importance and has been a key part of the All Blacks for many years — we really gain a lot from it.
"It's played a significant role in the All Blacks. In a way, it's more than just the sport of rugby."
"When you talk to folks from America or smaller rugby countries, they recognize New Zealand rugby primarily because of the haka. It's a significant part of our identity and brings us all together."
AFP through Getty Images
Joe Marler Sparks Controversy Over Haka Call
This week, England prop Joe Marler stirred up some controversy with his careless comments about the upcoming match. He tweeted that New Zealand's traditional pre-game haka was "ridiculous" and should be "thrown out."
He continued: “It only works well when teams respond in some way. Just like the league teams did last week.”
Marler's remarks created quite a stir and understandably didn't sit well with people in New Zealand.
The long-time Harlequins player first disabled his X account but then brought it back to say: “It's all about context. Just trying to have some fun and generate excitement for an upcoming major rugby game. The reactions have been surprising. Much love x.”
He also mentioned, “I also needed to feed my ego.”
The situation has continued to unfold throughout the week, culminating in Marler offering an apology on Thursday.
"Hello, rugby enthusiasts," he posted. "I wanted to take a moment to apologize to any fans from New Zealand who were hurt by my awkwardly phrased tweet earlier this week."
I didn't mean any harm by suggesting it should be thrown away; I just want the rules to be relaxed so we can respond without facing penalties.
How impressive were the reactions from Cockerill/Hewitt, Campese, France ‘07, Tokyo ‘19, and the Samoa vs. England rugby league match? Let’s add some exciting flair before the game begins!
"My casual effort to ignite a discussion about it was poorly executed, and I should have done a better job of clarifying my points."
"I'm thankful for the insights I've gained about the significance of the Haka in New Zealand culture, and I hope others come to appreciate it as well."
"Looking forward to Saturday at 3 PM for an incredible rugby event! I predict England will win by 6 points. I'm going to step back into my spotlight now. Sending lots of love! x"
"New Zealand Team Update: De Groot Dropped, All Barretts Start"
Ethan de Groot, the loosehead prop for the All Blacks, has been left out of the team following comments from head coach Scott Robertson, who vaguely mentioned that the player hadn't “met internal standards.”
Tamaiti Williams begins in that position, supported by Ofa Tu'ungafasi.
The experimental New Zealand team that dominated Japan 64-19 in Yokohama last weekend has undergone 11 changes. In that match, they scored a total of 10 tries, seven of which were in the first half.
The only players keeping their starting positions are Williams, back-rowers Wallace Sititi—who shifts to flanker while Ardie Savea takes the number eight spot—and Sam Cane, along with winger Mark Tele’a.
In contrast, there are several adjustments, as all three Barrett brothers will be on the field together. Scott will take the lead as captain, Beauden will play at fly-half instead of Damian McKenzie, and Jordie, who is set to join Leinster, will take his position in the centres after recovering from a knee injury he sustained against Australia in September.
Cortez Ratima has been chosen to play as scrum-half instead of the recovered Cam Roigard, as TJ Perenara is unavailable.
England Team News: Slade, Spencer, Curry Start
Henry Slade is set to play in a well-known position in England's backline today, even though he has only managed to play 55 minutes of club rugby for Exeter this season due to shoulder surgery.
Ben Spencer has been chosen to start at scrum-half instead of Harry Randall, as Alex Mitchell is out due to a neck injury. This marks Spencer's first senior international start at the age of 32.
In the back row, Tom Curry makes his first appearance since last year's World Cup, having completely healed from hip surgery. However, Sam Underhill is not included in the lineup due to his ankle problems.
Tom Curry’s twin brother, Ben, will be sitting on the bench while Steve Borthwick has opted for a 6-2 player arrangement. George Ford was included in the team last week after he was sidelined due to an injury during the summer tour.
With just two reserves on the bench, one of whom is a scrum-half, number eight Ben Earl will step in to offer support in the midfield. He has experience in this role from his trial appearance against Japan last summer.
England Vs New Zealand Match Prediction
England performed excellently during their summer tour in New Zealand, holding their own against an All Blacks team going through changes for extended periods. They even took the lead during significant portions of both test matches.
Steve Borthwick expressed a blend of pride and disappointment regarding their performances. He was happy that his team had held their ground against their formidable opponents, especially at Eden Park, a venue where New Zealand hasn’t lost since 1994. However, it's clear that he also felt a lingering frustration, knowing that they might have missed a golden opportunity to break that lengthy losing streak in New Zealand.
Nonetheless, the tough performances in Dunedin and Auckland should boost England's confidence that they can secure only their third home victory against the All Blacks in 22 years. However, they will need to refine their execution regarding those crucial details.
Only time will reveal the effects of the recent coaching changes on this team, as well as the motivation the All Blacks may have gained from Joe Marler's poorly thought-out tweets. However, if they can maintain the same spirited performance they showed during the summer and harness the energy of the Twickenham crowd, they could very well earn their rewards in another thrilling match that comes down to the final moments.
England to come out on top, winning by a margin of three points.
New Zealand XV: Jordan; Tele'a, Ioane, J Barrett, Clarke; B Barrett, Ratima; Williams, Taylor, Lomax; S Barrett (captain), Vaa'i; Sititi, Cane, Savea.
Substitutes: Aumua, Tu'ungafasi, Tosi, Tuipulotu, Finau, Roigard, Lienert-Brown, McKenzie
England XV: Furbank; Feyi-Waboso, Slade, Lawrence, Freeman; M Smith, Spencer; Genge, George (captain), Stuart; Itoje, Martin; Cunningham-South, T. Curry, Earl
Substitutes: Dan, Baxter, Cole, Isiekwe, B Curry, Dombrandt, Randall, Ford
Guide To Watching England Vs New Zealand
TV Channel: In the UK, you can catch the live broadcast of the England vs New Zealand match today on TNT Sports 1, starting at 3 PM GMT.
Live streaming: TNT Sports subscribers have the option to watch the action live online through the Discovery+ app and website.
Watch England Vs New Zealand Live!
Good afternoon and thank you for joining us for Standard Sport's live updates on the match between England and New Zealand.
Today marks the start of the 2024 Autumn Nations series, featuring an exciting match at the freshly renamed Allianz Stadium Twickenham. This clash sees the two teams rekindling their rivalry after an intense summer series in New Zealand, where the All Blacks made impressive comebacks in both Test matches to secure narrow wins. With these victories, they've managed to keep their remarkable winning streak on home turf against England intact for over 21 years.
Steve Borthwick’s team will be eager to seek revenge against a New Zealand squad that is currently going through changes under Scott Robertson. The All Blacks have struggled to win back the Rugby Championship title, which they haven’t held since 2019. Recently, they faced some challenges due to coaching changes and a significant controversy involving Joe Marler’s tweets about the haka, which has fueled New Zealand’s motivation for this matchup.
The match is set to start at 3:10 PM GMT today. Stay tuned for all the pre-match coverage, including updates on the teams, lineup information, insights from both sides, and live updates throughout the game.
Simon Collings from Standard Sport will be present to offer insights on what promises to be another thrilling event at Twickenham.
Sure! Here’s a rephrased version of the section: "Photo courtesy of AFP, obtained through Getty Images."
