England to Rematch All Blacks at Eden Park After Close Defeat

England to Rematch All Blacks at Eden Park After Close Defeat: England seeks redemption after missing what they considered their prime opportunity for a rare victory over the All Blacks in New Zealand. They face the three-times world champions again in Auckland on Saturday, eager to overturn their previous performance.

Steve Borthwick’s team came agonizingly close to ending a 21-year win drought last Saturday, falling short due to a wayward Marcus Smith kick. Despite this, their brilliant fighting effort in Dunedin kept the clash with the All Blacks suspenseful right down to the wire.

England is mindful of the tradition that suggests the All Blacks are most vulnerable at the beginning of the test season, before they hit their formidable stride.

Ireland, however, proved in 2022 that precedent is not always a great guide when they rebounded from a loss in their series opener to win the last two tests.

England skipper Jamie George and lock Maro Itoje also have memories of the 2017 British and Irish Lions series, where the tourists won the second test to level the series at 1-1 and forced a 15-15 draw at Eden Park in a breathless decider.

That, however, was one of only two draws that accompany 48 victories for the All Blacks at Eden Park in 50 tests since France stormed the home of New Zealand rugby in 1994 to clinch a first series win for a northern hemisphere team in the islands.

Borthwick, who was on the bench when England last beat the All Blacks in New Zealand in Wellington in 2003, said the record could also work against the home side.

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

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