International – All Blacks Do Not Expect A Big Difference In England’s Gameplan From June Tests

 

All Blacks assistant coach Tamati Ellison said playing on Saturday at 17:10 (SA Time) at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, one of the great rugby stadiums in the world for their first game in Europe was fueling their week of preparation and giving the All Blacks a lot of energy.

Ellison said he expects a little difference in England's approach from what they showed in New Zealand in July. They stretched New Zealand during that two-Test series, had an accurate kicking game, and were competitive in the collisions. He also expects similar line speed from England, even with their coaching personnel changes.

"We're expecting the same kind of high standard as we faced in both Dunedin and Auckland."

"It would be smart to expect that. We'll see if we can draw them out for sure, but at the same time you've got to be able to play both."

"If you turn the ball over to us we can hurt you with our counterattack and our ability to play up tempo. That's what it looks like when we are at our best."

The coaching group had settled into their routines with the side. Ellison said they had all coached different players on the various teams they were involved with.

"Different coaches have different connections to players. We're still quite new but it's a good space to be because we're all open to understanding each other and getting the best out of each other."