Rugby Union: England's All Blacks clash won't be before 2018 after RFU ditch plan

English rugby chiefs will end their bid to set up a match with New Zealand on November 4.

The RFU will instead approve a match between the Barbarians and the world’s No1 team for that date at Twickenham, meaning England will not play the All Blacks until November 2018.

At today’s RFU board meeting, chief executive Ian Ritchie was due to detail his talks with New Zealand counterpart Steve Tew. The match against the BaaBaas was due to help mark the 125th anniversary of the New Zealand union.

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Ritchie wanted England to take up the fixture which could have brought in gate receipts of £10million but it became clear New Zealand and the English Premiership clubs would demand a major share of that revenue.

The All Blacks usually receive £1.5m for playing abroad outside the normal schedule but reports in New Zealand predict a £3m fee for facing the BaaBaas.

The RFU get £500,000 for hiring out their stadium and while they will miss out on a larger revenue, they avoid being viewed as bullies who pushed the BaaBaas aside to create an England-All Blacks game.

Tew said this week: “The main thing is not the gate revenue, it is getting a game that suits the All Blacks and head coach Steven Hansen is very keen on that being the case.”

England will face Australia, Argentina and Samoa in the autumn and the absence of the All Blacks clash will at least give England head coach Eddie Jones the chance to give more rest to his players who will tour New Zealand with the Lions this summer. Jones expects at least 15 members of the England squad to be picked by the Lions.