Rugby World Cup 2019: A statistical look at England v New Zealand

England and New Zealand face off in a mouth-watering Rugby World Cup semi-final as Eddie Jones’ men look to somehow topple the two-time defending champions. 

The All Blacks are aiming to become the first side to win three successive World Cups, but England represent a huge obstacle in their road to history.

For England to defy the odds and reach the final for the first time since 2007, they will need to end a New Zealand winning streak stretching back to that tournament 12 years ago.

Here we take a statistical look at Saturday’s mammoth last-four clash in Yokohama.

THROWBACK | We take you back to 1999 and the last time the All Blacks played @EnglandRugby at the Rugby World Cup.

The All Blacks won 30-16 on that day with Jonah Lomu, Jeff Wilson and Byron Kelleher scoring tries. #BACKBLACK pic.twitter.com/2Sm9WBtgfb

— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) October 23, 2019

15 – New Zealand have won 15 of their last 16 matches against England – the exception in that run being a 21-38 defeat at Twickenham in 2012, a game in which Manu Tuilagi and Kieran Read both scored tries.

4 – This will be the fourth Rugby World Cup clash between England and New Zealand. The All Blacks have won each of the previous three (1991, 1995, 1999), including their only knockout encounter which came in the semi-finals of the 1995 tournament in South Africa.

3 – England have won three of their previous four World Cup semi-final matches – the 29-45 loss to New Zealand in 1995 is the exception.

18 – New Zealand have won their past 18 World Cup matches, the longest such run in the tournament’s history, last losing a game in the quarter-finals of the 2007 edition against France. Sam Whitelock has played in all 18 of those games and as such holds the individual record for most consecutive wins in World Cup history.

30 – The All Blacks have averaged the most points (51), tries (7.3), metres (642), clean breaks (22), defenders beaten (39) and offloads (17) of any side at the 2019 World Cup. They are also one of four sides yet to lose a scrum on their own feed (30/30).

0 – Neither England nor New Zealand have conceded a first half try in this tournament so far, the only sides to manage this; both have conceded three tries in the second half.

8/8 successful kicks against @Wallabies. @englandrugby‘s @owen_faz was dialled in #ENGvNZL #RWC2019 pic.twitter.com/k45jhqc1xE

— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 24, 2019

13 – Owen Farrell (87) needs 13 points to become the second player to reach 100 World Cup points for England after Jonny Wilkinson (277). He has managed that haul in four of his past five starts for England and averages 11.4 points per game in eight previous appearances against New Zealand (including with the British and Irish Lions).

1 – Jonny May needs one try to equal Jason Robinson on 28 tries for England, the joint fifth most for the country. It will be May’s 51st match; Robinson won 51 caps for England.

7 – Maro Itoje has won more turnovers (seven) than any other player at the 2019 World Cup. Ardie Savea (five) is New Zealand’s leading exponent in this facet of the game and has indeed won the joint most jackal turnovers of any player (five).

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