‘Huffing and puffing’Robert Kitson, The Guardian“As much as England’s 33-19 win was a striking result, New Zealand were transparently not their usual forbidding selves. “On the flip side, for all their huffing and puffing, New Zealand are still ranked second in the world, ahead of England and Ireland. It is way too early, accordingly, to write them off as 2027 World Cup contenders in Australia. ‘Great expectations’Gavin Mairs, The Telegraph“The first task for whoever succeeds Robinson [sic] will be to address the concerns of senior players, including Savea, with the knowledge that time is running out before the World Cup in Australia next year. And it’s clear that those most important to that cause, his players, had already made up their mind, too."

Source: New Zealand Herald January 15, 2026 22:32 UTC