All Blacks captain Scott Barrett’s physical scars may have healed in time for his side’s highly anticipated clash with England, but some mental scars never heal, and the lock admits the memory of the 2019 Rugby World Cup semi-final loss stings to this day.
The All Blacks’ historical win rate against England may be 78.3 per cent, but some Tests generate legacies of their own, and the knockout stages of Rugby World Cups are where heroes are born.
Barrett’s squad ending the famous Yokohama encounter on the wrong side of the scoreboard brought the back-to-back World Cup-winning run of the 2010s to an abrupt end, and with it, Sir Steve Hansen’s reign as All Blacks coach.
The rivalry has since been fierce, and while New Zealand has emerged unbeaten in each of those contests, Barrett knows how Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, demands the best of a visiting team.
“It’s 80-odd thousand; it’s always a challenge from the first minute,” he told reporters at the captain’s run on the eve of the Test. “It’s always physical. It’s always a great contest. If you look back at the past few games we’ve had against England, it’s been within a one-score game. So, if history’s anything to go by, it’s going to be a heck of a Test match.
“We’ve certainly got some scars from the English going back to the 2019 World Cup. We certainly don’t want to go there again.”
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When asked to dive a little deeper into the memory bank for a reflection on that Test, Barrett reaffirmed the lasting impression the loss has left.
“Every All Black wants to win a World Cup, and to have that dream, that rug pulled out from underneath you by England, it certainly leaves a scar.
“For us, it’s about taking the strengths we’ve built upon this season, playing with confidence, and putting a performance in tomorrow night that we’re proud of.”
Steve Borthwick’s England squad are on a hot streak in 2025, with just one defeat in the Six Nations and nothing but wins since. The All Blacks have registered two losses in the year to date, and are hoping to dispatch each of the home nations in this November window.
To tackle an in-form England outfit, the Kiwis have prepared for the team’s traditional strengths.
“We’ve seen when they came down to New Zealand last year, their linespeed, nothing’s changed there; their breakdown pressure, nothing’s changed there. If anything, they’ve probably doubled down on their DNA, the aerial game and being disruptive.
“We’ve certainly prepared for that, and we’re excited about tomorrow.”
As a sold-out Twickenham awaits, Barrett concedes the crowd will have an impact on the Test match.
“(Keeping the crowd quiet), that’s a big part of it. We’ve talked about noise; it’s ultimately a distraction, and you can get frustrated by it, but we’re using that as fuel.
“In those moments leading up to that, what’s required then and there and embracing it, smiling at it. You wouldn’t want to be anywhere else than the Test arena.”
