By Peter Ryan – @PeterRyanSports
The autumn internationals get kicked into high gear this Saturday as England look to get their revenge against New Zealand at the Allianz Stadium.
After an entertaining summer tour in New Zealand, it is England’s turn to welcome the Kiwis to their homeland.
The two tests between the rugby giants were electrifying clashes, with Scott Robertson’s side coming away with two hard-earned victories.
However, England will head into the game confidently and believe they can topple the ‘All Blacks.’ It is a great way to kick off the autumn series, and there are some exciting betting options to go along with it.
England
England fans should feel confident going into another year under Steve Borthwick.
The side looks to have adopted an expansive brand of rugby that is easy on the eye. As mentioned before, they are coming off a summer tour where they played fantastic rugby but will be disappointed that they didn’t manage to get at least one win.
Their performances showed promise, and they looked like the better team at certain stages. They will look to right the wrongs of the summer and seek revenge over their opposition in front of a home crowd.
To achieve this, England will need key playmakers to step up and put on a show. Of course, a player who garners many headlines heading into the contest is Marcus Smith.
There are always fireworks when the young fly-half is on the ball, and New Zealand will be well aware of his abilities.
The familiar faces of Jamie George and Maro Itoje bring a wealth of experience to the matchup, which will be crucial, as it looks to be a tight game.
It will be fascinating to see how Ben Spencer performs in the number nine shirt, as he finally has a chance to show his capabilities on the international stage.
England has a tremendous amount of talent in their squad and will feel they have what it takes to secure a victory over the ‘All Blacks.’
New Zealand
As a rugby fan, seeing New Zealand take to the pitch is always special. The historic side brings a sense of tradition wherever they go and is one of the teams most associated with rugby.
Robertson’s side is going through a transitional period as they look towards the 2027 World Cup. However, they are still a strong side, more than capable of dominating their opponents.
After two great wins against England, their Rugby Championship campaign was inconsistent, with losses to Argentina and South Africa.
Those two losses against the Springboks will sting the most, as New Zealand were in the driving seat for both games.
Last week, they travelled to Japan and secured a dominant 64-19 victory against the Cherry Blossoms.
They will look to build on that momentum and have a strong run of games against top European competition.
New Zealand are bringing the big guns to Twickenham, with the three Barrett brothers starting alongside superstars like Sam Cane and Codie Taylor.
There is an abundance of firepower to come off the bench, and Damian McKenzie will be looking to make an impact in the latter stages of the clash.
New Zealand will aim to carry the momentum from last week’s game and secure a third win over England this year.
The Bets
It will be a competitive clash at Twickenham, with both sides fancying their chances, leaving the door open for many exciting betting options.
The best bet seems to be for New Zealand to edge the game by more than four points. In recent times, the two sides have been evenly matched, and the scores reflect that.
England have beaten New Zealand eight out of the last 45 meetings, but there seems to be value in betting on a home team victory, as England have so much talent in their squad.
However, a potential issue could be the fact that the English team haven’t spent as much time together, whereas New Zealand are coming off the back of a long Rugby Championship, meaning they have spent considerable time together as a unit.
If England’s chemistry isn’t on point, New Zealand could end up winning the game comfortably. For those who like a long shot, there are good odds for New Zealand to win by more than 10 points.
Best Bet: New Zealand to win by more than 4 points – 10/11
Value Bet: England to win – 8/5
Longshot Bet: New Zealand to win by more than 10 points – 21/10
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