Renowned Former England Fly-Half Confident in Steve Borthwick’s Side Ahead of All Blacks Series
Renowned former England fly-half Freddie Burns has expressed his confidence in Steve Borthwick’s side, stating that they will secure at least one victory against the All Blacks in their upcoming series next month.
The Red Rose enter the southern hemisphere tour in a much better position compared to the middle of the Six Nations, when they faced heavy criticism following their error-prone defeat to Scotland. However, England bounced back to deny Ireland the Grand Slam and nearly defeated France in another thrilling encounter.
Burns believes that England may have better cohesion than the All Blacks, who are undergoing a rebuilding phase after their typical post-Rugby World Cup exodus. The departure of legendary players like Aaron Smith, Richie Mo’unga, Brodie Retallick, and Sam Whitelock, coupled with the arrival of new head coach Scott Robertson, could play into the tourists’ hands.
“New Zealand rugby is going through a bit of a transition at the minute. The Crusaders aren’t quite that same force, so I think England have got a realistic chance to go down there and upset a few people, and go away with at least a series draw, if not a series win,” Burns told RugbyPass TV.
Despite the All Blacks’ challenges, Burns acknowledges that facing them in New Zealand will always be a tough proposition. However, he believes England have an “opportunity” to achieve something special, with their youthful squad and the possibility of the All Blacks not being the “same force” as in the past.
The England team features six uncapped players in their 36-man group, but the majority of the squad had experience playing together during the Six Nations. With the likes of Jamie George, Maro Itoje, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Ollie Lawrence, and George Furbank establishing themselves in key positions, Burns sees England’s depth and cohesion as potential advantages.
“I feel like there’s players playing in the Premiership right now that are performing at a standard that can go down there and really give it to ’em,” Burns concluded, expressing his belief in England’s ability to achieve a positive outcome against the All Blacks.
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