Experienced props Joe Marler and Will Stuart selected in front row as Marcus Smith retains fly-half place to face All Blacks in Dunedin
England have made two changes to their starting XV to face New Zealand All Blacks in the first rugby Test in Dunedin on Saturday.England have made two changes to their starting XV to face New Zealand All Blacks in the first rugby Test in Dunedin on Saturday.England have thrown down the gauntlet to the All Blacks by naming their team 48 hours early for Saturday’s pivotal first Test in Dunedin.
Baxter and Sleightholme are joined among the replacements by Alex Coles and Ben Spencer, with Bevan Rodd, the suspended Charlie Ewels, Harry Randall and Tom Roebuck all dropping out of the matchday 23. The benched Dan Cole will win his 114th cap to equal Jason Leonard as England’s most capped male forward.
While England have not won on New Zealand soil since 2003, they have a decent recent record elsewhere against this weekend’s opponents. In addition to the 2019 triumph in Yokohama, England held the All Blacks to a 25-25 draw in their last meeting at Twickenham in 2022. Skipper Jamie George and lock Maro Itoje also featured in the British & Irish Lions Test side which secured a 1-1 drawn series in 2017.
Borthwick said his players were ready to take on the All Blacks on their home turf. “It doesn’t get more challenging than playing New Zealand at home, but it’s exactly where we want to be,” he said. “We want to find out more about ourselves and test ourselves against one of the best teams in the world.
“Test rugby is a game of fine margins, so our mindset is going to be very important on Saturday. We’ll need to be mentally strong, play a tactically smart game and ensure we maintain our discipline. The Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin is a great venue with a quick surface, and the closed roof should make the atmosphere very special.
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