Danny Care backs England to beat All Blacks and return to world rugby's elite

Danny Care is backing England to smash their way back among rugby’s elite as they get ready for a mouthwatering autumn Test campaign.

Steve Borthwick’s men clash back-to-back with southern hemisphere giants New Zealand, and South Africa, before winding up their November internationals against Japan.

And 101-cap scrum-half Care reckons this is the moment for England to put the record straight with big Twickenham wins to climb back towards the top of the world rankings. Those have been dominated by Ireland, the All Blacks, Springboks and Antoine Dupont’s France.

Care was part of Borthwick’s Red Rose setup until calling time on his Test career after the earlier this year. He has a new role during the autumn as a co-commentator and pundit with TNT Sports, who are covering the games.

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He believes England can get over the winning line against New Zealand on Saturday, after two narrow losses on their summer tour, and also hopefully gain some semblance of revenge over the Springboks for an agonising one-point World Cup semi-final defeat 12 months ago.

Writing an exclusive column in our brilliant 48-page supplement to preview the upcoming matches, Care says: “This represents a real chance for England. Under Steve they are in a really special place at the moment, with so much prodigious young talent.

“To expect to overcome the southern hemisphere giants in successive weeks is a big ask, but I’ve worked under Steve and that will be his mindset.

“From my time under Steve I know England are desperate to break into the top three or four sides in the world. They narrowly lost to France in the Six Nations; we were beating South Africa with just three minutes to go in the World Cup semi-finals, but ended up losing.

“The next step is to actually start coming away with big wins against these best teams. At important times of the game you have to put these top sides away. It didn’t quite happen during the summer, but beating New Zealand this time around will give everyone huge confidence and provide a springboard for what hopefully will be a fabulous autumn.

“Yes there have been changes to the coaching staff and with any change there can be a slight fear about what that might bring. But I only see positive signs for England. The experience from the summer tour will hold the younger members of the side in good stead and with home advantage I want to see them go out and win four out of four.”

Care reckons there are a host of ‘exciting’ matches for England, Ireland, and Wales to look forward to, with “every one of them seeming to have a sub-plot, a storyline waiting to be written, teams who each have points to prove.”

As the action unfolds at Twickenham this weekend, he writes: “Whenever New Zealand come to town it just creates an extra buzz. It’s not every year that it happens, so when it does it’s special. Seeing the haka at Twickenham, the vibe.

“For England it is a chance of redemption following two narrow losses during the summer tour. Steve and his players will genuinely feel they should have won the two Tests. They lost the first game in Dunedin by a single point and were leading in the second at Eden Park before Beaden Barrett came on to inspire a fightback.”

Of world number one side Ireland, who also meet New Zealand first up in Dublin next weekend, Care says: “Friday night, Aviva Stadium, under the lights, sellout crowd - wow, I’m envious of anyone who’s got a ticket for that one.

“Again, there’s extra spice to this one because of what happened last time they met in the World Cup quarter-finals. That was a Paris thriller, won 28-24 by New Zealand, one of the greatest Test matches I have seen.

“Johnny Sexton’s book is coming out, there’s been talk of things that happened during that game, of a fallout between the teams. There won’t be a backward step taken when they meet again and I can’t wait to see that one, too.”

Care feels No.10 maverick Finn Russell can help Scotland dazzle as they prepare to tangle with the world champion Springboks and the Wallabies.

“I absolutely love Finn, in particular how he is, that he doesn’t care what others think, he’s going to keep doing what he thinks is right and won’t change for anyone," writes Care. "But he’s getting better and better anyway. Shine a light on him and let him be, I say."

Care reckons Wales, who are on a nine-match losing streak under Warren Gatland, just have to somehow get over the winning line as they meet Fiji, Australia and South Africa. "Everyone keeps saying if there is one coach who can guide them out of the slump it’s Gats. But he badly needs a win. He’s had to throw in a host of youngsters, which is good, but I bet he’d love to have an Alun Wyn Jones or a Dan Biggar there to provide knowhow," writes Care.

• READ DANNY CARE’S COLUMN IN FULL AS PART OF OUR BUMPER 48-PAGE AUTUMN INTERNATIONALS PREVIEW SPECIAL. ORDER YOUR COPY