Are the All Blacks feeling the pressure ahead of Eden Park showdown?
There has been a lot of talk this week about the history of playing the All Blacks at Eden Park being a heavy burden for Steve Borthwick’s England team to shoulder.
But I actually believe that the weight of being unbeaten at one ground for 30 years, as the All Blacks are at the Auckland venue, is heavier for New Zealand.
They’re a new team in a new era under Scott Robertson and are still finding their feet – their narrow 16-15 win over England last week in Dunedin showed they weren’t at 100 per cent.
But now they’re not just taking on England at New Zealand’s biggest sporting arena, but they’re taking on the expectations of a nation.
All Blacks expectation
Last week’s loss was brutal for England; they looked the stronger of the two sides throughout and failed to take their chances under the roof of the Forsyth Barr Stadium.
And they could have missed their chance to take a scalp Down Under, which would have been their first on the islands since 2003.
New Zealand might have found their groove by the weekend and could find themselves comfortably on top.
But I have been impressed with the England I saw last weekend, especially Fin Baxter, who was forced on to replace an injured Joe Marler.
And Baxter, Bevan Rodd and Emmanuel Iyogun offer no experience at this level, which could show on Saturday.
So this weekend the weight of Eden Park’s aura will sit heavily on the All Blacks and that could help England. A drawn series would be a good result for the tourists, but even then they’ll feel like they could have won it.
It’s an exciting time to be an England fan, that’s for sure. And whatever happens this weekend the future looks somewhat brighter for Borthwick and his men.
French disgrace
When you get capped for your country, it means way more than any club honour you’ve been bestowed. You’re no longer representing your town or friends but your proud nation – I felt that when I went to the Sevens World Cup.
So to see issues with the French touring side down in Argentina really does upset me.
For Melvyn Jaminet, who should know better, the racist comments that he apparently made earned a rightful suspension from the national team. He’s not new to the set-up and should know much better.
It is a monumental shame to see such a talented player potentially end his career but the comments that appeared on his social media were not worthy of someone who wants to wear an international rugby shirt.
As for Oscar Jegou, 21, and Hugo Auradou, 20, who have been accused of sexual assault, it’s extremely serious. They’re both promising young players who could have thrown their careers away if found guilty.
When you tour as a youngster it can be brilliant, enjoying a few beers and exploring new countries. But behaviour of the sort they’ve been accused of is beyond the pale.
Former England Sevens captain Ollie Phillips is the founder of Optimist Performance. Follow Ollie on Twitter and on LinkedIn @OlliePhillips11