Potential England vs New Zealand match scrapped
England will not play New Zealand before 2018 after talks regarding a possible November autumn international proved unsuccessful, with the All Blacks instead set to take on the Barbarians at Twickenham later this year.
The Rugby Football Union [RFU] have approved the exhibition match between the reigning world champions and the invitational side for the 4 November, the same date that had been floated for a potential first vs second clash in the world ranking between New Zealand and England.
England are not due to play New Zealand until next year’s autumn internationals, meaning that the two
sides will face-off just once in between the 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cups.
However, England’s world record-equalling run of 18 consecutive victories triggered hopes of a potential match this year. England are already due to play Australia, Argentina and Samoa this autumn, and the projected fixture with the All Blacks would have happened before those matches, meaning it would be England’s first game with its full squad back together after this summer’s British and Irish Lions tour.
But talks have proven unsuccessful, and the Barbarians confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that the exhibition match will go ahead instead of the clash with England.
“The Barbarian FC has received approval from the RFU to stage the Barbarians v New Zealand match at Twickenham on November 4, 2017,” a statement read.
The Barbarians chairman, John Spencer, dismissed any suggestion that the RFU had not acted appropriately in their negotiations with their New Zealand counterparts. "The entire Barbarians Committee would like to thank the RFU for approving this fixture against New Zealand,” said Spencer.
"For the record, and contrary to some recent media reports, the Barbarians have a strong and very collaborative relationship with the RFU, and any suggestion that the RFU has not acted correctly in any part of the discussions around staging this fixture is unfair and wrong.”
The fixture still needs to be signed off by the New Zealand Rugby Union board, but they are expected to proceed with the match to celebrate the NZRU’s 125th anniversary.