New Zealand vs England 1st Test Predictions - England can challenge All Blacks

New Zealand have dominated this fixture in the past with 33 wins in 43 games. There have been two draws and eight England victories.

You can view the full breakdown of the history of this fixture on our side.

New Zealand has been the dominant power in world rugby since it went professional in the early to mid-90s. This fixture they have also historically dominated, particularly on home soil.

That said, the Black Caps are in a slight transition phase with new coaching staff after their Rugby World Cup final defeat to South Africa last year. They have not played an international match since.

Scott Robertson has been very successful at Super Rugby level and knows the players well. This shouldn’t be a shock to the players’ systems, and they also still have plenty of experienced players.

New Zealand are expected to have a few new faces in their side when the team is announced.

England rugby seems to be on the up after a tough few years. At the Rugby World Cup in 2023, they surprised many by reaching the semi-final, and many would argue they should have beaten the Springboks there as well.

While their gameplan was limited, it was very effective as a short-term solution. They advanced that during the 2024 Six Nations where they didn’t do ultra well but did beat Ireland on home soil and took France to within a few points in Paris.

This is the ultimate test to see how far they have come. New Zealand is a notoriously tough place to tour, and should England manage a few big performances, or even a tour win/draw, they will go home with their head held high.

Marcus Smith starts at flyhalf with George Furbank at fullback. Jamie George captains from hooker with Joe Marler alongside him in the front-row.