England vs. New Zealand

Match Preview

 by Ed Budge

After two embarrassing defeats against Australia and South Africa, Martin Johnson's England go into this Saturday's clash with the All Blacks with nothing to lose. Except. that is, for a handful of coaches and players who are surely on their last lives.

That expectation levels are so low, with memories of both the Springbok drubbing and the recent tour to Kiwi country uncomfortably fresh in the memory, could breathe life into an England side that has thrived on its underdog status as recently as the last World Cup. But one fears that a little CPR is not going to get the job done.

Lawrence Dallaglio, amongst others, has urged patience in this week's press, reminding us all of a time when he, Hill, Back, Johnson himself, Greenwood et al suffered at the hands of superior Southern hemisphere masters before rising to greater challenges years down the line gnarled and battle-hardened. Yet the changes have been called - five of them in all, including the bench - for this encounter.

Easily the least newsworthy of them is the demotion of an out of form Danny Cipriani to the bench for Toby Flood. Say what you like, but dropping someone so decidedly out of sorts for the Premiership's form fly-half does not deserve the column inches it has already received. Why would Cipriani have to go as far as Oxford Street for the limelight when all he has to do it wake up in the morning?

Far more important is the recall of Nick Kennedy, who many felt had been banished into the wilderness after his impressive showing against the Pacific Islands. He provides a legitimate weapon in England's pack as a line-out operator and needs to seize this chance as his replacements have proved to be so very far short of the mark.

Tom Croft is therefore covering the second row from the bench as Johnson makes room for another back, Dan Hipkiss - a welcome relief for all those expecting the usual pedestrian outing from Jamie Noon, and all the wiser for it.

The most peculiar decision is not the retention of Noon, nor that of Phil Vickery and Tim Payne, but the benching of another Wasp, Tom Rees. Easily England's best player last weekend, and arguably their best over the last five matches, potentially their captain in the very near future, but this weekend dropped. One can only speculate why the capable Michael Lipman has got the nod, but it is most likely in the bogus quest for the elusive ‘physical edge' which will not be achieved by replacing one player, and certainly not by removing the closest thing England have to a leader on the paddock.

New Zealand, meanwhile, continue to field almost unfairly strong sides throughout this tour. Conrad Smith comes in for Richard Kahui (oh, for either one of them!) in a backline that matches England's for pace, trumps it for power, and annihilates it for nous and experience.

That the pack boasts, as usual, Richie McCaw. If England dither at the breakdown as they have done for five years, the All Black captain will do what always does. I needn't tell anyone how that usually ends up on the scoreboard. If they do (and I don't know why that requires the conditional tense) then John Wells' position must be put under the same scrutiny from above as it has been from the stands for three years now.

England have shown many times before that they can hang with the best of them, physically, even when desperately out of form. But it's in the second half of such games when the side usually reverts to type, and one feels that this young. callow side will not have the nous to hang on to New Zealand in the second half. The backlash should be enough to prevent another record defeat, but I wouldn't expect too much.

England:

1.       Tim Payne
2. Lee Mears
3. Phil Vickery
4. Steve Borthwick (captain)
5. Nick Kennedy
6. James Haskell
7. Michael Lipman
8. Nick Easter

9. Danny Care
10. Toby Flood
11. Ugo Monye
12. Riki Flutey
13. Jamie Noon
14. Paul Sackey
15. Delon Armitage

Replacements: Hartley, Stevens, Croft, Rees, Ellis, Cipriani, Hipkiss

Replacements: Hikawera Elliot, John Afoa, Anthony Boric, Kieran Read, Piri Weepu, Stephen Donald, Isaia Toeava.

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