The Good, The Bad & The Rugby No. 3 In The World, 2 Drop Goals, 1 TikTok - England beat the All Blacks
Nov 19, 2025
Johnny May, current England international, shares his firsthand insights on England's historic victory over New Zealand. The discussion highlights George Ford's strategic brilliance, notably his two drop goals, and critiques the New Zealand media for their negativity. May also dives into the impact of a viral TikTok dance on team morale, revealing how it reflects the squad's mentality. The panel debates the significance of this win in a broader historical context and examines the state of rugby in relation to discipline and emerging nations.
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Win Validates Progress With Fixable Flaws
- England's win over New Zealand validated their progress but still revealed fixable weaknesses like lineout and edge defence.
- James Haskell and Mike Tindall rated the performance highly while noting clear areas for improvement.
Fix Exploited Defensive Chinks Quickly
- Treat defensive breaches as learning opportunities: identify the chinks and fix them in training quickly.
- Use exposure (being exploited) to reflect, adapt and strengthen systems before bigger tests.
Haskell Defends All Blacks Against Media Fury
- James Haskell defended the All Blacks, criticising negative media responses and social-media vitriol.
- He argued the team still gave full effort and that rage-filled commentary was disproportionate.
