England v New Zealand: A Look Back at One of Rugby’s Great Rivalries Ahead of Nations Championship Clash

England and New Zealand will renew one of international rugby’s most celebrated rivalries when they meet in the inaugural Nations Championship at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Saturday 21st November 2026.

The two nations first faced one another more than 120 years ago, with their meetings since producing Rugby World Cup drama, famous England victories, dominant All Blacks performances and a number of contests decided by the finest of margins.

Their latest meeting will be the 48th Test between the sides and comes just a year after England secured a memorable victory against the All Blacks in London. The 2026 fixture is scheduled to kick off at 14:10 as part of England’s opening Nations Championship campaign.

Where the England and New Zealand rivalry began

England first faced New Zealand at Crystal Palace in London on 2nd December 1905.

The touring New Zealand side, now remembered as the Originals, arrived in England having made an enormous impression during their first tour of the northern hemisphere. They defeated England 15-0, with winger Duncan McGregor scoring four of New Zealand’s five tries.

England had to wait until 1936 for their first victory against the All Blacks. Their 13-0 success at Twickenham included two tries from Prince Alexander Obolensky and remains one of the landmark results from the early years of the rivalry.

New Zealand have enjoyed considerably more success across the history of the fixture, but England’s victories have consequently often become major moments in the country’s rugby history.

Jonah Lomu stars in the 1995 Rugby World Cup Semi-Final

One of the most famous England v New Zealand encounters came on the biggest stage at the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa.

England arrived in Cape Town having beaten Australia 25-22 in the quarter-finals, but they were faced with an All Blacks side featuring one of the tournament’s defining players.

Jonah Lomu produced a remarkable display as New Zealand secured a 45-29 victory to reach the World Cup Final. His performance remains closely associated with the tournament and helped establish the winger as one of rugby’s biggest international stars.

England stun the All Blacks at Twickenham in 2012

England’s 38-21 victory against New Zealand on 1st December 2012 remains one of their most memorable performances at Twickenham.

The All Blacks arrived unbeaten in 20 matches and as reigning world champions, but England established a 12-0 half-time advantage through the boot of Owen Farrell.

New Zealand responded after the interval through tries from Julian Savea and Kieran Read, reducing England’s advantage to a single point.

England then took control. Brad Barritt, Chris Ashton and Manu Tuilagi all crossed during a decisive period in the second half as Stuart Lancaster’s side recorded what remains their largest winning margin against New Zealand.

It would also prove to be England’s last home victory against the All Blacks for another 13 years.

England end New Zealand’s World Cup reign in 2019

Seven years after their Twickenham victory, England produced another famous performance against the All Blacks at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

New Zealand arrived at the semi-final in Yokohama having won the previous two editions of the tournament and had not lost a Rugby World Cup match since 2007.

England immediately put their opponents under pressure, with Manu Tuilagi scoring inside the opening minutes. Eddie Jones’ side remained in control of the contest and eventually completed a 19-7 victory.

The result ended New Zealand’s bid for a third consecutive World Cup title and sent England into the Final against South Africa.

A remarkable comeback at Twickenham in 2022

The next meeting produced an entirely different type of contest.

New Zealand appeared to be heading towards a comfortable victory at Twickenham in November 2022 when they established a 25-6 advantage with less than ten minutes remaining.

England then launched an extraordinary comeback.

Will Stuart scored twice and Freddie Steward also crossed as England registered three tries in the closing eight minutes to level the match at 25-25. It was just the second draw in the history of the fixture.

Three narrow New Zealand victories in 2024

The margins remained tight when England and New Zealand met three times during 2024.

England travelled to New Zealand for a two-Test summer series and were beaten 16-15 in Dunedin before the All Blacks secured a 24-17 victory at Eden Park one week later.

The teams then met again at the Allianz Stadium in November.

England once more pushed New Zealand throughout the contest but eventually suffered a 24-22 defeat. Across those three meetings, the All Blacks had won every match, but two of them had been decided by just one and two points respectively.

England respond with memorable 2025 victory

England finally ended their six-year wait for a win against New Zealand when the sides returned to the Allianz Stadium on 15th November 2025.

The afternoon initially appeared to be heading in New Zealand’s direction as tries from Leicester Fainga’anuku and Codie Taylor established a 12-0 advantage.

England responded through Ollie Lawrence before two George Ford drop goals reduced the deficit to 12-11 at half-time.

Sam Underhill and Fraser Dingwall then crossed after the break, while Tom Roebuck’s late try completed a 33-19 victory. It was England’s first win against the All Blacks since the 2019 World Cup semi-final and their first on home soil since that famous 38-21 success in 2012.

England and New Zealand meet again in the Nations Championship

Just over a year later, the rivalry will resume in a new competition.

England face New Zealand at the Allianz Stadium on Saturday 21st November as part of the inaugural Nations Championship. The fixture follows England’s home matches against Australia on 8th November and Japan on 14th November.

The encounter adds another chapter to a rivalry that began in 1905 and has since featured some of the leading players, teams and occasions in international rugby.

Recent meetings have also added another layer to the fixture. England’s victory in 2025 followed three consecutive New Zealand wins in 2024, while the dramatic draw in 2022 and England’s World Cup triumph in 2019 remain fresh chapters in the rivalry.

England v New Zealand Nations Championship 2026

England and New Zealand renew their historic rivalry at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Saturday 21st November 2026 as part of the inaugural Nations Championship.

Eventmasters offers official hospitality for the fixture. For package details, availability and pricing, visit our England v New Zealand Hospitality page.

England v New Zealand FAQs

When will England play New Zealand in 2026?

England will face New Zealand on Saturday 21st November 2026 in the Nations Championship, with kick-off scheduled for 14:10 at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.

When did England last beat New Zealand?

England’s most recent victory against New Zealand came on 15th November 2025, when they defeated the All Blacks 33-19 at the Allianz Stadium.

When did England first play New Zealand?

The first Test between England and New Zealand took place at Crystal Palace in London on 2nd December 1905. New Zealand won the match 15-0.

How many times have England beaten New Zealand in rugby?

England have beaten New Zealand nine times in men’s Test rugby. Their ninth victory came at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, in November 2025, when England defeated the All Blacks 33-19. The rivalry dates back to their first meeting in 1905 and has produced several memorable England victories, including the famous 38-21 win at Twickenham in 2012 and their 19-7 Rugby World Cup semi-final triumph in 2019.