England’s hopes of playing the All Blacks this year have been dashed according to a British media report.
England rugby hierarchy had been trying to replace the All Blacks scheduled match against the Barbarians at Twickenham in November with a match against the Six Nations champions.
However the Daily Mail is reporting that New Zealand Rugby chief executive has insisted to his England rugby counterpart Ian Ritchie that the Baa Baas match go ahead.
The intention is to mark the union’s 125th anniversary with a celebratory – and lucrative – match against the famous invitational club, before the serious business of their European tour sees them play Tests against France, Scotland and Wales.
The top two sides in the global rankings are not due to meet until November next year but the RFU wanted to bring them together sooner and England coach Eddie Jones, had endorsed the plan.
The Daily Mirror said such was Ritchie’s apparent determination to push through this additional Test,
there were fears that the RFU board would veto the Barbarians-New Zealand fixture – not just at Twickenham but anywhere in London.
That in turn would have diminished the anticipated revenue if the game was moved from London with its stron Australasian community.
There are concerns within the RFU that allowing the world’s premier team and box-office favourites to play at Twickenham prior to England’s campaign against Australia,
Argentina and Samoa may adversely affect ticket sales or corporate hospitality profits.
England havven’t played New Zealand since November 2014, so by the time they next meet, there will have been a four-year hiatus.
-RNZ
