England in New Zealand 2014
Launchbury ready for 'ultimate challenge'
Tom Hamilton in Auckland
June 4, 2014
Joe Launchbury has won one and lost one against the All Blacks © Getty Images
Enlarge

Joe Launchbury is adamant he is ready for the "ultimate challenge" on Saturday of facing the All Blacks on their own patch.

The last time New Zealand lost at Eden Park was back in 1994 when Launchbury was just three. On Saturday, the 23-year-old is expected to start in England's engine room and is hoping to draw on his previous experiences of facing the All Blacks.

Launchbury has played the Kiwis twice, winning in 2012 but losing last year, and he is hoping the team builds on their performances and records a historic victory on Saturday.

"The way we have played against New Zealand in the last two matches has to give us confidence, but also our more recent games because we really came on during the Six Nations," Launchbury said. "After a shaky start we built really well and brought on our attacking game, but the next step now is to continue improving.

"It's the ultimate challenge to come over here and play a three-Test series against New Zealand. We're aware of that and have been training with a slightly different group of players, but we're excited about the weekend."

There has been much talk of England's last win on these shores which came back in 2003, the summer before their World Cup triumph later in the year. With the next World Cup just a year away, the All Blacks and England alike will be hoping to hit their straps at the right time and while Launchbury is adamant England are building for the next global gathering, he has played down any comparisons between the current crop and the 2003 vintage.

"2003 were a great side and we're not there, we're still a young team. But we're going in the right direction. We've had some big game over the last 18 months and this is where you want to be - testing yourselves against the best. Hopefully we'll do ourselves justice."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
Tom Hamilton is the Associate Editor of ESPNscrum.

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.