Wood vs. Anderson will be a big thing for both Forest team mates.
A real shame that Gibbs-White missed selection.
Well, the results were close when England last played NZ way back in 1991 with a squad mostly from NZ's national league.
Flashback to England's two match series in NZ in 1991 for the NZFA's centenary:
2021 article which includes the original series program to read:
https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2024/12/22/when-all-whites-faced-england/#:~:text=On%20June%203%2C%201991%2C%20England,of%20rugby%20in%20the%20capital.
"The tourists, managed by Graham Taylor and assisted by Lawrie McMenemy, included big names such as Gary Lineker, Nigel Clough, Stuart Pearce, Dennis Wise, David Platt and Ian Wright.
The All Whites, managed by Ian Marshall with assistants Steve Sumner and Keith Pritchett, included Malcom Dunford, Ceri Evans, Michael McGarry, Noel Barkley, Clint Gosling, Fred de Jong, Vaughan Coveny, Declan Edge and Thomas Edge."
I think that Fred de Jong, then at Fortuna Sittard in the Dutch top flight, and Ceri Evans, then at Oxford Utd in the Englush second ier, were the only two fulltime pros in the All Whites squad. Ridenton I think had recently returned to NZ from playing for Rotherham in England. A couple of players were then in the Aussie NSL.
Game 1
Game played on Monday June 3, 1991
Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
Attendance: 17,520
A real shame that Gibbs-White missed selection.
Well, the results were close when England last played NZ way back in 1991 with a squad mostly from NZ's national league.
Flashback to England's two match series in NZ in 1991 for the NZFA's centenary:
2021 article which includes the original series program to read:
https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2024/12/22/when-all-whites-faced-england/#:~:text=On%20June%203%2C%201991%2C%20England,of%20rugby%20in%20the%20capital.
"The tourists, managed by Graham Taylor and assisted by Lawrie McMenemy, included big names such as Gary Lineker, Nigel Clough, Stuart Pearce, Dennis Wise, David Platt and Ian Wright.
The All Whites, managed by Ian Marshall with assistants Steve Sumner and Keith Pritchett, included Malcom Dunford, Ceri Evans, Michael McGarry, Noel Barkley, Clint Gosling, Fred de Jong, Vaughan Coveny, Declan Edge and Thomas Edge."
I think that Fred de Jong, then at Fortuna Sittard in the Dutch top flight, and Ceri Evans, then at Oxford Utd in the Englush second ier, were the only two fulltime pros in the All Whites squad. Ridenton I think had recently returned to NZ from playing for Rotherham in England. A couple of players were then in the Aussie NSL.
Game 1
Game played on Monday June 3, 1991
Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
Attendance: 17,520
New Zealand 0
England 1 (Gary Lineker 90+3′)
England 1 (Gary Lineker 90+3′)
New Zealand
Clint Gosling, Michael Ridenton, Rodger Gray, Malcolm Dunford (captain), Ceri Evans, Robert Ironside, Michael McGarry, Daniel Halligan, Declan Edge, Antony Ferris, Fred de Jong.
Subs not used: Grant Schofield, Noel Barkley, Vaughan Coveny, Carl Jorgensen, Thomas Edge.
England
Chris Woods, Paul Parker, Stuart Pearce, David Batty (Brian Deane 46′), Des Walker, Earl Barrett, David Platt, Geoff Thomas, Dennis Wise, Gary Lineker, Mark Walters (John Saloko 70′).
Subs not used: Gary Charles, Tony Coton, Ian Wright.
Game 2
Game played on Saturday June 8, 1991
Athletic Park, Wellington
Attendance: 12,000
Game 2
Game played on Saturday June 8, 1991
Athletic Park, Wellington
Attendance: 12,000
New Zealand 0
England 2 (Stuart Pierce 12′, David Hirst 50′)
England 2 (Stuart Pierce 12′, David Hirst 50′)
New Zealand
Grant Schofield, Michael Ridenton, Rodger Gray, Malcolm Dunford (captain), Ceri Evans, Robert Ironside, Michael McGarry, Daniel Halligan, Declan Edge (Thomas Edge 62′), Antony Ferris, Fred de Jong.
Grant Schofield, Michael Ridenton, Rodger Gray, Malcolm Dunford (captain), Ceri Evans, Robert Ironside, Michael McGarry, Daniel Halligan, Declan Edge (Thomas Edge 62′), Antony Ferris, Fred de Jong.
Subs not used: Clint Gosling, Noel Barkley, Vaughan Coveny, Carl Jorgensen.
England
Chris Woods, Gary Charles, Stuart Pearce, Dennis Wise, Des Walker, Mark Wright, David Platt, Geoff Thomas, Brian Deane (David Hirst 46′), Ian Wright, John Saloko.
Subs not used: Gary Lineker, Earl Barrett, Nigel Martyn, Nigel Clough, David Batty.
All the All Whites and opposition stats for all matches in that 91-92 period:
https://www.rsssf.org/tablesn/nz-intres-det90.html#91
The next year (1992) NZ toured the UK with most of the same players as the above England series but some more overseas pros added, with very mixed results.
They beat a strong Celtic side in Glasgow and beat Brighton but lost 7-0 to second tier Tranmere Rovers with Ireland and former Liverpool legend John Aldridge scoring four.
Story on NZ's win vs. Celtic:
https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2025/02/04/february-flashback-how-celtic-tried-to-keep-out-the-fans-when-they-played-all-whites/
https://www.rsssf.org/tablesn/nz-intres-det90.html#91
The next year (1992) NZ toured the UK with most of the same players as the above England series but some more overseas pros added, with very mixed results.
They beat a strong Celtic side in Glasgow and beat Brighton but lost 7-0 to second tier Tranmere Rovers with Ireland and former Liverpool legend John Aldridge scoring four.
Story on NZ's win vs. Celtic:
https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2025/02/04/february-flashback-how-celtic-tried-to-keep-out-the-fans-when-they-played-all-whites/
Some players based in the United Kingdom and Europe were also considered on a match-by-match basis, subject to availability. The following players made appearances during the tour: Ceri Evans (Oxford United, ENG), Heremaia Ngata (Hull City, ENG), Fred de Jong (Fortuna Sittard, NLD), Wynton Rufer (Werder Bremen, GER), Shane Rufer (Gillingham, ENG) and Chris Zoricich (Leyton Orient, ENG).