England v New Zealand: We want to make the movie - Eddie Jones on beating the All Blacks
- From the section Rugby Union
| England v New Zealand |
|---|
| Venue: Twickenham Date: 10 November Kick-off: 15:00 GMT |
| Coverage: Radio commentary on BBC Radio 5 live (build-up from 14:30), live text on BBC Sport website and highlights on BBC Two from 19:30 GMT. |
Head coach Eddie Jones wants his England team to "make the movie" rather than sit and watch it when they host New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday.
England face the All Blacks for the first time in four years, looking for a first victory since 2012 and having won only seven of their 40 meetings.
Jones says the back-to-back world champions are "one of the greatest sporting teams in the world".
"We want to make the movie, we want to be film directors," he added.
Jones' victory over South Africa as Japan coach at the 2015 World Cup is being made into a film with the working title of The Brighton Miracle, and the Australian says his England players do not want to just be extras in Saturday's 'film'.
"You can either make the movie or be in the movie, and we want to make the movie," he said. "We don't want to sit there and watch it.
"Sometimes when you play New Zealand, you sit there and you watch and you think 'they're the best team in the world, we can't compete against them'.
"You sit there, eat popcorn, have a can of Pepsi and watch the movie. Then you realise 'we can be in this', but by then it's too late."
Jones says his England side will head into the Test with the belief they can win it, adding: "We don't think we're underdogs. We don't look at the bookmakers.
"They're the greatest rugby team in the world. They're one of the greatest sporting teams in the world. So to get an opportunity to try and knock them off is fantastic."
Bigger than the Lions series?
All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen says Saturday's match will be "even bigger" than last year's tied series between the British and Irish Lions in New Zealand.
England hooker Jamie George was part of the Lions side that won the second Test in Wellington and called it "probably the best feeling of my rugby career so far".
"It makes us aware of where their heads are at for the game," he said about Hansen's comments. "The way they've spoken this week is exciting and we're ready to rip into it.
"We want to measure ourselves against those guys and see how far away we are."
'England win would be truly epic'
Former England scrum-half Matt Dawson believes an England win at Twickenham would be "truly epic".
"It doesn't happen very often, so you have those historical rugby markers in your mind," he said on Matt Dawson's Rugby Show.
"Going back to '93, when I was on the bench and Kyran Bracken played the game of his life with virtually a broken leg - didn't let me on, the so and so - and they won the game.
"Then you had '97 and I was involved in that one and it was a draw, 2002 we managed to win that game - they are big time differences between those games. They stand out.
"Then you've got 2012, maybe the greatest game England have ever played at Twickenham when they beat New Zealand.
"They are highlights, they are standout moments in your career, and you've somehow got to put yourself in a position where mentally you can say to yourself 'I want one of those memories, I want to be part of a team that goes down in history and beats the All Blacks'.
"For an England team, that doesn't happen very often. On this occasion England are not the favourites, so to win it would be truly epic, it really would."
England fly-half Owen Farrell, who kicked 14 points during the 38-21 victory in 2012, says the hosts will have to perform consistently if they are to beat an All Blacks side with a 91% win record since the World Cup.
"They are certainly a brilliant team," Farrell told BBC Sport. "To be at the top for that long with the win percentage they've got is pretty remarkable, really.
"We've got to make sure we are throwing ourselves into it and are pretty constant throughout the game ."
Team news & line-ups
England wing Chris Ashton makes his first start in four years as one of three changes to the starting XV.
Sam Underhill comes in for injured back-row forward Tom Curry, while in the front row Ben Moon replaces Exeter Chiefs team-mate Alec Hepburn.
Sonny Bill Williams starts at inside centre in a near full-strength All Blacks side, while Karl Tu'inukuafe replaces prop Joe Moody who has an eye injury.
Williams will line up alongside Crusaders team-mate Jack Goodhue for only the second time in a backline featuring two playmakers, full-back Damian McKenzie and fly-half Beauden Barrett.
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England: 15-Daly, 14-Ashton, 13-Slade, 12-Te'o, 11-May, 10-Farrell, 9-Youngs; 1-Moon, 2-Hartley, 3-Sinckler, 4-Itoje, 5-Kruis, 6-Shields, 7-Underhill, 8-Wilson
Replacements: 16-George, 17-Hepburn, 18-Williams, 19-Ewels, 20-Lawes, 21-Care, 22-Ford, 23-Nowell
New Zealand: 15-McKenzie; 14-Smith, 13-Goodhue, 12-Williams, 11-Ioane; 10-B Barrett, 9-A Smith; 1-K Tu'inukuafe, 2-Taylor, 3-Franks, 4-Whitelock, 5-Retallick, 6-Squire, 7-Savea, 8-Read
Replacements: 16-Coles, 17-Tu'ungafasi, 18-Laulala, 19-S Barrett, 20-Todd, 21-Perenara, 22-Mo'unga, 23-Crotty
Commentator's notes
Andrew Cotter: "There's no doubt that this is the most eagerly-anticipated Test of England's series - even more so when you consider that they haven't played the All Blacks in four years.
"Perhaps fittingly, Chris Ashton - who hasn't made a start for England in the same period - is one of the minor tweaks made by Eddie Jones.
"The All Blacks are in fine form - when are they not? - having won the Rugby Championship again and scored four or more tries in their last 12 Tests.
"But there have also been curious signs of defensive weakness, most notably in two Tests against the Springboks.
"But really it's England's defence, drilled by former All Blacks coach John Mitchell, which will have to be at its very best to give England any chance of victory.
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Match facts
Head-to-head
- This is the first meeting since November 2014 - a 24-21 defeat at Twickenham.
- England have lost the last five meetings since their 38-21 win over New Zealand in December 2012.
- England have only won seven of the 40 all-time meetings, drawing one and losing 32.
England
- England have won their last two Tests, having lost the previous five.
- They have won 15 of their 16 home Tests under Eddie Jones. Their only defeat was a 24-15 reverse against Ireland on 17 March.
- Chris Ashton's last Test try came off the bench against New Zealand on 14 June 2014.
New Zealand
- New Zealand have won 10 of their 11 Tests in 2018, averaging six tries and 42 points per game. Their average winning margin across 2018 has been 24 points.
- They have scored four tries or more in all 11 of their Tests this year - England have only done so on two occasions and average just 2.4 tries per match in 2018.
- Rieko Ioane has scored 13 tries in his last 11 Tests, including six in his last four. His tally of 11 tries in 2018 is half England's combined tally of 22.
Match officials
Referee: Jerome Garces (France)
Touch judges: Jaco Peyper (South Africa) & Marius Mitrea (Italy)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
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