England stars bewilder Dan Cole with post-match dance after All Blacks win

Saturday’s hard-earned win at Allianz Stadium was England’s first triumph over New Zealand on home soil since 2012, and their first overall since the 2019 World Cup semi-final.

Before kick-off, Steve Borthwick’s squad made a statement by revisiting their iconic response to the All Blacks' haka from the 2019 World Cup. As New Zealand began their traditional challenge, England stepped into the well-known ‘V’ formation at halfway, a bold nod to their memorable encounter in Japan.

But while that pre-match moment was all business, the post-match scenes from the four young players were anything but. They broke into a surprisingly coordinated Irish jig that has somewhat divided fans online. Most viewed it as light-hearted fun and a refreshing show of personality, while others dismissed it as a little too ‘cringe’.

Moments of personality from players can only draw new fans to the sport and make it more of a spectacle, as Henry Pollock's on-field antics have already done in encouraging new audiences to attend games to see his showmanship.

Former teammates turned podcasters Dan Cole and Ben Youngs shared their reactions on their show For The Love of Rugby, expressing equal parts confusion and admiration for the quartet’s dance moves.

The celebrations have drawn comparisons to the popular antics of the Red Roses during their recent World Cup campaign, where the women’s team won over supporters by embracing their off-field personalities through dances and social media moments.

England’s men will hope they can follow the Red Roses’ lead heading into the 2027 World Cup in Australia—especially if they can continue to build on their current 10-match winning streak.