Chris Jones: BBC rugby commentator previews the second clash between the All Blacks and England

One expert is weighing in on England's chances to turn their luck around against the All Blacks.

Both nations have named their teams for the match, with Scott Robertson making one injury-enforced change to the starting lineup for Saturday's match.

BBC rugby commentator Chris Jones says England's been on a good trajectory - and can identify what to do against the All Blacks this time. 

"They would have seen last weekend as a missed opportunity. The challenge now is to go - right, they can go toe-to-toe with the All Blacks, there are areas to work on. Can they fix those?"

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The All Blacks in England name so they have named
their teams for the second Test match at Eden Park
on Saturday. There's just one change for both teams. Finnly
Christie's going to start in the place of t J.
Perinado who's out with an injury, and Finn Baxter is
going to start in the place of Joe Mahler. Both
again another one another injury sustaining last week's match. Chris
Jones is a BBC rugby commentator and is with us
now in the studio.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
Hey, Chris, great to be here, Heather.

Speaker 1 (00:21):
How are you are you feeling confident?

Speaker 2 (00:23):
I think there's a degree of confidence because this England's
team has been on a good trajectory. You know that
they struggled a year ago, got to the third place
of the World Cup, then come the Six Nations Again,
the start didn't look up too much and then ever
since the midpoint of the Six Nations have really been
been growing and they will have seen last weekend as
a missed opportunity. Their challenge now is to go right.

(00:44):
They can go toe to toe with the All Blacks.
There are areas to work on. Can they fix those?
Because you know the All Blacks are going to be
coming strong, especially at a place like Keet in.

Speaker 1 (00:51):
Part Yeah, absolutely, What do you make you think that
confident because of how they're performing? When you look at
how the All Blacks are performing, what do you think?

Speaker 2 (00:58):
Well? I think it was really notable. The main emotion
from Scott Robertson after the game was relief, wasn't it.
It wasn't kind of ecstasy, It wasn't joy, it wasn't
kind of unbridled happiness. It was just relief because he's
been waiting for this job for so long, not just
the kind of years with the Crusaders, but even the
last sixteen months since he's been appointed. And you can't
really start with the loss of the All Blacks coach,
candn't you? And he would have had it up against

(01:19):
him because you know, their preparation was only ten days,
England been in camp for longer, England looking settled, the
All Blacks and a load of players not around since
the World Cup. So they then played in eight months
have felt like the chance for England to catch New
Zealand cold, and they almost did so. Robertson probably feels
so relieved he's got that done. An extra week together
really noticeable how both coaches have gone. Look, let's not

(01:40):
mess around with the team selection. Of course Perinara and
Marlon need to be replaced, but Robertson is thinking not
have much time make the one change he's got to make.
Apart from that, it's just about getting those combinations, honing
them and trying to get the Scott Robertson All Blacks
way up and running.

Speaker 1 (01:54):
What is it about the English team that has become
so difficult for the All Blacks lately? It feels like
they they are harder to beat than they should be.

Speaker 2 (02:02):
I think that those are the operative words, hard to
beat and I think this England team has become hard
to beat and I think that's something Steve Borthwick could coach,
has been trying to drill in them for the last
year eighteen months or so. I think it's to do
with the defense, things to do with some of the
types of players they've got. Now, you know, kind of
out of nowhere. England have got a core of young
guys that have really announced themselves on the international stage.

(02:22):
You wouldn't have seen loads of them down here because
it was mainly during the Six Nations, but guys like
Chandler Cunning himself. He's familiar because he knows New Zealand
so well having lived here as a boy. Guys like
many fair Bosa, George Martin at second row. There's a
few players now who just started to look more and
more comfortable at Test level, and the more comfortable to get,
the more experienced to get, the more chance they'll have

(02:43):
a winning those kind of arm wrestles. But all Steve
Borthwick coach teams over the years have been really hard
to beat, first and foremost, and he's definitely trying to
instill this in England team.

Speaker 1 (02:50):
What's you take on Razer? Is he the one?

Speaker 2 (02:53):
Look? I think it was his time. I wouldn't say
the whole process was handled that well, was it? You know?
He was? I dare say it's been a few hours
of air tive on this station taken up talking about
how it was all handled with kind of you know,
it looked like Ian Foster was going to go in
twenty twenty two, kind of getting the stay of execution,
then being told you're not going to continue even if
you win the World Cup, which he so only did,

(03:13):
and man, they got so close in that that final.
But it's felt as if Roberson has been the coming
man for years. It's so interesting. He's not part of this,
this lineage of All Blacks coaches that you've had with
Sir Graham, Henry and Steve Hanson and Foster, all great mates,
worked for each other, all a certain style, certain type
of personality, done wonderful things. Robinson's different, isn't he. You know,
He's got that kind of unique personality. The way he

(03:36):
thinks and talks and answers questions very very different. So
it's exciting for us to get to know someone new.
But ultimately, an All Blacks coach is judged between the whitewashes,
isn't he?

Speaker 1 (03:45):
You know, he's not affoord to He can't afford to
lose the first match? Can he afford to lose the second?

Speaker 2 (03:49):
No? I think, I mean I think he can he can.
I think that'd be I was going to say a
degree of patients from the All Blacks fans, but I
don't think. You know, it's not the most patient fan
based on for obvious reasons. You guys demand success and standardly,
so I think when he knows what's coming up with,
you know, games against South Africa Rugby Championship Tour at
the end of the year. I think he saw this
England series and probably thought, oh, that's a banana skin

(04:11):
that that's tricky. That's a bit of a tough series
to get through, no time with the players having to
deal with and you set up lots of experienced players
overseas on not available new captain. So I think if
he came away with two nil, regardless of how it
comes about. And I know all Blacks fans want running
rugby and triest in the end of the earth, but
I think any to nil against an England team that
have come down here with a real point to prove

(04:31):
would be a really good result for Robertson to get
that Regiene up and running.

Speaker 1 (04:34):
Chris, thank you. I really appreciate you. I hope you
have a terrible night on set.

Speaker 2 (04:39):
I'm sure we will. I think I look either way,
it's test magic Eden Park. We've loved our week in
Awk and we've loved last day in New Zealand, so
let we goin have a good time whatever.

Speaker 1 (04:46):
Brilliant stuff. Thank you so much, Mike go Well. That's
Chris Jones, BBC Rugby commentator.

Speaker 2 (04:51):
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