England A player ratings vs All Blacks XV as two great rugby nations tested their depth against each other at The Rec.
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The All Blacks XV dispatched England A with a comfortable and confident 31-14 win at The Rec, in a good battle that showcased the strong depth that both nations have.
After a scrappy and stop–start opening, it was the All Blacks XV who struck first. Caleb Tangitau crossed out wide after a series of powerful phases from the visitors, helped along by a string of penalty advantages that relieved the early pressure.
Their second try came around the 25-minute mark, with Jamie Hannah burrowing over from close range after the All Blacks turned defence into attack in trademark fashion — a stolen pass near halfway leading to a rapid counter.
England finally found a spark through Josh Hodge, who showed great anticipation to latch onto what looked like an overthrown Charlie Atkinson pass and slice through the line for their first try. Despite flashes of quality from both sides, the first half was riddled with handling errors and penalties, leaving the All Blacks XV narrowly ahead at the break.
The second half started off in similar fashion to the first, with numerous handling errors from both sides causing plenty of scrums and stoppages, which led to a slow start to the half. The All Blacks XV finally made the most of a scrum won from an England knock-on, with Josh Jacomb finishing well in the corner after 54 minutes to extend their lead.
Things got even better for the visitors when Rivez Reihana crossed with his first touch of the match, after some quick ball saw a three v one attack out on the left wing, which Jamie Joseph’s side were not going to pass up on.
The visitors weren’t done there, and Folau Fakatava finished off their scoring just under five minutes from time after more strong play on the edges that ended up with a numerical advantage for them.
Joe Batley gave the home supporters something to cheer about right at the end, finishing off in the corner for a consolation score that will give Mark Mapletoft’s side a bit of positivity going into the Spain game next week.
England A: 14
- Tries: Josh Hodge (28′), Joe Batley (79′)
- Cons: Josh Hodge (28′,79′)
- Pens
All Blacks XV: 31
- Tries: Caleb Tangitau (13′), Jamie Hannah (25′), Josh Jacomb (54′), Rivez Reihana (64′), Folau Fakatava (76′)
- Cons: Josh Jacomb (25′,55′,64′)
- Pens
England player ratings vs All Blacks XV
15 Josh Hodge – 7.5
A composed and intelligent display at fullback. Took an early box kick superbly to win a penalty, read a pass beautifully to set up England’s first and only try, and showed excellent awareness in the backfield to relieve pressure and offload effectively to Caluori. Finished both conversions very well.
14 Noah Caluori – 6.5
A senior England debut that slightly underwhelmed. Every time he touched the ball there was a spark, but not too much output. Won several key aerial contests and made a crucial defensive play to stop an almost certain try, though was a bit casual on one long kick that could have been costly. Showed promise and confidence throughout.
13 Angus Hall – 6.5
Strong and composed in midfield. Displayed good positional sense and strength on the ball, though an unfortunate knock-on denied him a potential try. Solid defensive and attacking presence with plenty of promise.
12 Max Ojomoh – 6.5
Energetic and impactful, particularly after the All Blacks took the lead. Acted well as first receiver and made a huge turnover in his own 22, showing both awareness and physicality in key moments.
11 Ollie Hassell-Collins – 9
Excellent display before his injury. Rock solid under the high ball and a real threat in attack, highlighted by a brilliant run with sharp footwork to make big metres. Played a key role in the build-up to Hodge’s try with a crucial aerial win, and continued to dominate in the air throughout. Came off after 60 minutes but had been outstanding up to that point.
10 Charlie Atkinson – 7.5
A lively and intelligent performance. Started brightly with sharp offloads and helped keep the tempo high in attack. Slightly lucky to claim an assist for Hodge’s try, but his pass still did the job. Showed good composure by not forcing plays and timing his passes well. Produced a nice touch from a high ball, even if it didn’t quite come off, and showed great effort tracking back. Came off with about 10 minutes remaining after a positive all-round display.
9 Archie McParland – 8.5
A confident and lively performance from the young Saints scrum-half. He was sharp defensively and his box kicking and speed of service were excellent. Though he took a few risks with his passing, most of them paid off, showing real self-belief. Added good pace and energy in attack and delivered a very strong first half before coming off after an impressive 50 minutes.
1 Emmanuel Iyogun – 6
A mixed outing in the front row. Won a key scrum penalty on halfway and worked hard through a stop-start first half full of set pieces. However, struggled to make much impact with ball in hand and was guilty of some ill-discipline at the breakdown. Came off 10 minutes from time after a solid but inconsistent display.
2 Jamie Blamire – 6.5
A decent performance overall, though not without frustration. His lineout work was tidy and reliable, but he’ll be disappointed with a costly knock-on near the line after getting a bit greedy in possession. Put in a good shift before coming off 10 minutes from the end.
3 Afolabi Fasogbon – 6.5
A steady outing in the front row. He got stuck into some tough contests but held his own well. Worked hard through a scrappy first half with plenty of scrums to manage. Came off just before the hour mark after a solid, if unspectacular, performance.
4 Tom Lockett – 6
A steady performance on his second England A appearance. Took his lineouts well and put in plenty of hard work around the pitch, even if not heavily involved throughout. Picked up a knock early in the second half but showed resilience to play on until the 60-minute mark. Solid and dependable showing.
5 Joe Batley – 7.5
Showed real intent to play with the ball and express himself, which is excellent for a lock. Made a strong, eye-catching run following a great offload but was ultimately stopped by an outstanding tackle. Notched a nice try in the corner right at the death.
6 Ethan Roots (c) – 7
A commanding presence with ball in hand, showing strong, powerful running. Held his own at the breakdown against tough opposition and didn’t look out of place, even if the All Blacks edged him in that area. Capped it off by winning a late penalty, leading by example and showing great resilience.
7 Tom Pearson – 7.5
A tireless and physical performance. Made some powerful carries and a brilliant turnover, though was unlucky with a knock-on following an offload. Lost the ball on one occasion due to excellent defensive work by the opposition, leading to a try. High workrate throughout, with plenty of tackles and carries, demonstrating real grit and commitment.
8 Greg Fisilau – 6
Put in a hardworking shift, showing some neat offloads and commitment in defence. Didn’t have a huge impact with ball in hand but grafted tirelessly throughout. Came off after 64 minutes having put in an honest, industrious performance.
Replacements:
16 Kepu Tuipulotu – 6
17 Tarek Haffar – 6
18 Vilikesa Sela – 6
19 Ben Bamber – 6
20 Fitz Harding – 6.5
21 Caolan Englefield – 6.5
22 Rekeiti Ma’asi-White – N/A
23 Adam Radwan – 6.5
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NAME THE MOST CAPPED MEN’S INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS:
Think you know your rugby legends? You have 5 minutes to name all 56 players on the list of the world’s most-capped international rugby players. No cheating! Can you recall every single name, from Alun Wyn Jones to Courtney Lawes?
Tip: Focus on the stars from Wales, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and other top rugby nations – but don’t forget the surprise entries!
Ready… Set… Go!
