England v New Zealand - Teams and Prediction

PREVIEW: Maro Itoje believes England can emulate one of their best performances when they face New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday.

In 2019, England beat the All Blacks 19-7 in a World Cup semifinal to end the then two-time defending champions’ reign as the global kings of the sport.

But in four meetings with New Zealand since that memorable game in Yokohama, they have come up short, albeit they have lost their last three Tests against the All Blacks – all in 2024 – by a combined margin of just 10 points.

England, however, are now on a nine-match winning streak against all opponents.

Yet in 46 Tests with New Zealand dating back to 1905, England have won just eight, lost 36, and drawn the other two.

Itoje, now the England captain and a survivor, along with veteran flyhalf George Ford, from that memorable success in Japan six years ago, said: “At that stage of the journey of the team in 2019, we were ready for that sort of challenge.

“We felt that if we were aggressive and accurate in what we do, we would be able to get them.

“It was one of those weird games where they had periods on top, but it felt like there was only one outcome of that game. Hopefully we can do something similar this weekend.”

The 31-year-old Saracens lock added: “New Zealand are a good team, no doubt about that. They possess talent and accuracy and power that’s good enough to hurt any team, but we’re ready to take that next step. We have a clearer understanding of how we want to play.

“We have more belief in what we do and how we do it.”

England suffered seven defeats in 11 games in 2024, including five in a row and three in succession at Twickenham as they failed to close out several tight games.

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‘Mentally sharp’

Head coach Steve Borthwick has sought to address that problem by filling his bench with six British and Irish Lions forwards, with those replacements making key contributions late on to England’s wins this month over Australia and Fiji in their opening two Nations Series internationals.

“Pretty much every match of the last 18 months bar one or two has gone down to those periods in the last 15 minutes,” Itoje said.

“Playing against the All Blacks, you need to be sharp mentally and you need to execute when you get your opportunities because you don’t get many of them.”

Victory at Twickenham would leave New Zealand just one game away from a grand slam of tour victories over the Home Nations – England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

The All Blacks defeated Ireland 26-13 in Chicago on November 1 but lacked their famed ruthlessness against Scotland at Murrayfield last weekend, with a 17-0 half-time lead being transformed into a 17-17 scoreline before Damian McKenzie’s try-scoring heroics off the bench helped seal a 25-17 win.

New Zealand will, however, be bolstered by the return of captain Scott Barrett after the lock was sidelined in Edinburgh following a cut to his leg during the Ireland match.

Beauden Barrett, Scott’s brother, remains at flyhalf, with McKenzie still among the replacements.

And given New Zealand finish their tour in Cardiff against a Wales side who haven’t beaten them since 1953, it is now England who provide the greatest threat to their bid for a clean sweep.

“It’s at the so-called ‘home of rugby’ [Twickenham], with a full house and an expectant English team,” New Zealand coach Scott Robertson told the BBC.

“We want a grand slam. They want to take our scalp. How good is footy [rugby]?”

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Players to watch: 

For England: Captain Maro Itoje returns to the starting line-up, and his leadership will be crucial as England look to impose themselves physically. Dominant in the air and disruptive at maul time, Itoje will set the tone up front. Ben Earl, one of England’s standout performers in recent months, will aim to build on his outstanding form. His relentless work rate and powerful carries could prove decisive. In the backline, flyhalf George Ford brings calm authority. His experience, tactical kicking, and game management will be vital in controlling territory against the All Blacks.

For New Zealand: Ardie Savea continues to be the heartbeat of the All Blacks. A destructive force in the back row, his blend of physicality, athleticism, and tireless defence makes him a threat in every facet of the game. Captain Scott Barrett’s return to the starting XV further strengthens New Zealand’s pack; his presence in the tight exchanges will play a key role. At hooker, Codie Taylor remains one to watch closely – accuracy at the set-piece combined with his mobility in open play makes him a constant danger. Out wide, the new combination of Leicester Fainga’anuku and Leroy Carter brings pace and power, and their cohesion will be tested against England’s defence. Meanwhile, Will Jordan’s ability to find space and exploit even half-chances could be pivotal if England offer him any room.

Prediction:

Rugby365: England by seven points

Teams: 

England: 15 Feddie Steward, Tom Roebuck, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 11 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 10 George Ford, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Ben Earl, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Guy Pepper, 5 Alex Coles, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Joe Heyes, 2 Jamie George, 1 Fin Baxter.
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Chandler Cunningham-South, 20 Tom Curry, 21 Henry Pollock, 22 Ben Spencer, 23 Marcus Smith.

New Zealand: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Leroy Carter, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 11 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Peter Lakai, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Simon Parker, 5 Fabian Holland, 4 Scott Barrett (captain), 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot.
Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Tamaiti Williams, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 Josh Lord, 20 Wallace Sititi, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Damian McKenzie.

Date: Saturday, November 15
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
Kick-off: 15.10 (15.10 GMT; 04.10 NZDT Sunday, November 16)
Expected weather: Cloudy with a temperature reaching a high of around 14°C and a low of 10°C
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant referees: Luc Ramos (France), Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)