England vs New Zealand predicted team: Who should Eddie Jones select to face the All Blacks?
Here’s The Independent’s line-up for England’s date with destiny against the reigning world champions
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Your support makes all the difference.England face their date with destiny on Saturday as they take on reigning champions New Zealand for a place in the Rugby World Cup final.
Eddie Jones’s side have become the first England team to reach the last four in 12 years, but they have made no secret of their desire to go all the way and lift the Webb Ellis Cup for only the second time in the tournament’s 32-year history.
The All Blacks will be the biggest threat England could have faced though, and after blowing away Ireland in convincing manner last weekend, Steve Hansen’s side head into the match as overwhelming favourites.
That means that Jones’s selection will be more important than ever before, with the Australian required to find the right balance between attacking capability and defensive resoluteness – something that has defined England’s campaign not just over the last five weeks but the entire four-year period of Jones’s reign.
England can also take heart in knowing that they lost to the All Blacks by just one single point last November with a team that was much changed to the one they will deploy on Saturday.
So who will Eddie Jones select? Click through the gallery below to find out.
England vs New Zealand kicks off at 11:15am BST on Saturday 26 October.
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