England Urged to Play Attacking Game Against All Blacks
England’s rugby union team may have shown a greater inclination to play an attacking game recently, but former captain Will Carling has urged current coach Steve Borthwick to grant his side complete freedom with the ball in hand against the mighty All Blacks.
Under Borthwick, who took over from the sacked Eddie Jones in December 2022, the Red Rose initially adopted a more conservative approach. This was understandable given the proximity of the Rugby World Cup, with the new head coach having little time to implement a more complex style.
However, since the conclusion of the global tournament, England have sought to expand their game, showcasing much more variety in their recent outings. This newfound attacking flair finally came to fruition in their Six Nations encounter with Ireland, and they almost claimed a famous victory over France away from home, only to be denied by a late Thomas Ramos penalty.
Borthwick’s men then prepared for the tour to New Zealand with a comfortable 52-17 triumph over Japan last month. Fly-half Marcus Smith, renowned for his attacking prowess, took the reins from the injured George Ford and impressed as England ran in eight tries against the Brave Blossoms.
Smith has once again been preferred for the upcoming Test with the All Blacks, and Carling hopes that the talented playmaker will be given the opportunity to “showcase” his abilities without constraint.
“At some point, he’s got to embrace it and we play. I personally think for us to stand any kind of a chance, we have certainly got to play against New Zealand,” the former England skipper told the official All Blacks podcast. “We can’t play a restricted game plan, they’re too good.”
Carling believes that the gradual shift towards a more expansive approach has been driven by the players, allowing their talented young backline to thrive. “They struggled a wee bit in the World Cup and at the start of the Six Nations, but the players have had a bit more of a voice about how they want to play,” he said.
The ex-England captain acknowledges that the challenge facing Borthwick’s side against the world-famous All Blacks will be immense, but he believes that the pack must “front-up” and produce a big performance, particularly from the talismanic Maro Itoje.
As England prepare for the daunting task of taking on the rugby union giants, the rugby union news and commentary suggests that a more open and attacking mindset could be the key to their success against the rugby union gameplay of the All Blacks.
đź”— Source
