England to Raise Concerns over All Blacks’ Scrum Tactics Ahead of Second Test
“Clearly, the scrum will be one of those areas we will ask for his view on,” said Borthwick. “Several scrummaging experts have suggested Ethan De Groot was acting illegally during New Zealand’s win over England.”
Ahead of the second Test against New Zealand at Eden Park, the England rugby union team will address their concerns about the legality of the home side’s scrum tactics with the match referee, Nic Berry.
The tourists have made one change to their starting XV, with Harlequins’ rookie loosehead Fin Baxter set to make his first Test start, replacing the injured Joe Marler. This change reflects head coach Steve Borthwick’s commitment to selection continuity as England seek to level the series after their narrow 16-5 defeat in Dunedin.
In the aftermath of the opening match, Quins’ scrum coach Adam Jones voiced doubts about the techniques used by New Zealand’s loosehead prop Ethan De Groot, who was perceived to have gained the upper hand over England’s tighthead Will Stuart. Several scrummaging experts suggested that De Groot was acting illegally by repeatedly shifting outwards and driving up into Stuart.
While maintaining a diplomatic approach, Borthwick confirmed that the scrum will be a key topic of discussion when he speaks with referee Nic Berry, who was the assistant referee in the previous Test. England captain and hooker Jamie George also acknowledged the concerns raised about De Groot’s scrummaging and expressed confidence in Nic Berry to “make the right call” in the upcoming match. George emphasized his responsibility to manage the scrum and work with tighthead Will Stuart to counter the opposition’s tactics.
Despite the change in the front row, Borthwick expressed his belief that the 22-year-old Fin Baxter is well-equipped to handle the demands of Test rugby, having made a positive impact as a replacement in the first match.
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