Rugby: All Blacks set to face England three times before next Rugby World Cup

All Blacks fans might yet be ready to go there after the semifinal defeat last year, but New Zealand are set to clash with England every year leading up to the next World Cup.

The Daily Mail has revealed England’s schedule in the lead-up to the 2023 World Cup in France, which includes three expected fixtures against the All Blacks. The schedule was out in place before the Covid-19 pandemic, so it is tentative for now.

It includes the November 7 clash this year which remains in doubt due to Covid-19.

The schedule sees the All Blacks potentially to Twickenham in 2021 and 2022. It does mean however England won’t visit New Zealand, their last trip here being in 2014.

The All Blacks played just once in England in the four years between the last two World Cups, a 16-15 thriller. Between 2011 and 2015 the All Blacks and England met six times.

England produced a brilliant display to defeat Steve Hansen’s side 19-7 in Yokohama last year, their first-ever win at the World Cup over the All Blacks.

“It’s a great rivalry. And if you don’t play each other for a while, it can sort of drift away,” All Blacks coach Ian Foster said at last year’s World Cup in Japan, when he was assistant coach to Hansen.

“Some of that is just the quirk of the calendar, but clearly we would be pretty keen to play them again sometime.”

The All Blacks’ home schedule remains up in the air due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

They are scheduled to hosts Wales for two tests starting July 4 followed by a test against
Scotland. The Rugby Championship, which is scheduled to begin in Auckland, also remains in doubt with restrictions to people entering the New Zealand border.