Three England starters who flopped against All Blacks - who should replace them

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After nine consecutive wins over lower-ranked opponents, this was the definitive test of England’s progress — and they passed with authority. Four tries and a raucous Allianz Stadium crowd of 81,953 set the stage for a statement performance.

Instead of the tense, fine-margin finish many expected, England seized control, capped by Tom Roebuck’s 78th-minute try from a loose ball that stretched the lead to two converted scores.

Yet despite the triumph, England’s line-out faltered badly throughout, leaving several starters under scrutiny for their performances.

Itoje endured a rare off-day at the line-out, with New Zealand repeatedly targeting England’s calls and disrupting their platform. While his general work rate and impact around the park remained strong, two penalties and his role in the set-piece collapse overshadowed an otherwise solid outing.

Despite the criticism, Itoje remains indispensable — Steve Borthwick won’t be looking beyond his captain any time soon.

Mail Online: " Bright orange boots but New Zealand targeted England at the line-out. Not one of his stand-out performances but won’t care a jot after huge win."

Telegraph: "Like George, it is hard to look past how much of a calamity the line-out was and Itoje was twice pinged. Spoilt an otherwise excellent performance."

Replacement:

Telegraph 3, Rugby Pass 5, London Evening Standard 6, Mail Online 4, Planet Rugby 5

England’s line-out woes fell heavily on Jamie George, whose three misfires in the first half set the tone for a malfunctioning set piece. Although he held up well in the scrum, the hooker struggled to settle into the game and was withdrawn early in the second half.

With multiple outlets pointing to the line-out “implosion,” George’s display will go down as one of his more forgettable outings in an England shirt.

Mail Online: "Three first-half line-out throws couldn’t find their targets and it summed up a day that wasn’t one of his best. Substituted early in the second half."

LES: "England’s line-out struggled and they lost three of their five in the first half. Taken off early after the break."

Telegraph: "The line-out is a multi-man operation, but it is the hooker’s responsibility and thus George shoulders blame for its complete implosion."

Planet Rugby: " Limped off early into the second half. Oddly struggled in the lineout, and struggled to keep pace with the game. Not his finest outing."

Rugby Pass: "Three first-half lineout disasters was a poor return for the experienced hooker, who had more success in the middle of the solid front row at scrum-time, but not his finest performance for his country."

Replacement: Luke Cowan-Dickie steadied things off the bench

Steward’s brief 22-minute stint before departing for an HIA was a mixed one. He took one outstanding high ball, but also produced a poor kick and was caught out defensively for New Zealand’s opening try.

Those flashes of uncertainty proved costly, and England looked more fluid with Marcus Smith stepping in at fullback.

Express: "Some very good mixed in with two howlers before first half HIA failure"

Telegraph: "A mixed bag in his 22 minutes. Claimed one superb up and under but also produced a rogue kick and caught out of position for the All Blacks’ first try."

FloRugby: "This match exposed some structural limitations in Steward’s attacking game. While he remained steady under the high ball, his lack of creativity disrupted England’s backfield flow. Too many possessions stalled through him, leaving questions about his long-term fit."

Replacement: Marcus Smith finally seems at home at fullback. England looked much better when he replaced Steward.

From stunning tries to unforgettable moments—and yes, some hairstyles we’d rather forget—these players were at the heart of rugby’s golden era. If the names don’t come flooding back, it might be time to fire up YouTube and relive the magic.

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