England to raise concerns over New Zealand's scrum ahead of second Test after Ethan de Groot was criticised by experts for his conduct in All Blacks' tense victory in Dunedin Harlequins scrum coach Adam Jones cast doubt on De Groot's play in first Test Rookie loosehead Fin Baxter has been picked for Saturday's clash in Auckland By Chris Foy Published: 11:33 BST, 11 July 2024 | Updated: 11:33 BST, 11 July 2024 e-mail View comments England will raise concerns about the legality of New Zealand's scrum with the referee for Saturday's second Test at Eden Park – after making a front-row change for the series finale. Harlequins' rookie loosehead, Fin Baxter, has been picked for his first Test start, having made a fine impact as an early replacement last weekend, in the one-point defeat against the All Blacks in Dunedin. The 22-year-old has been promoted in place of his injured club-mate, Joe Marler, as the only change to the tourists' XV, as the latest example of Steve Borthwick 's commitment to selection continuity.
In the aftermath of England's agonising loss at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Quins' scrum coach, Adam Jones – speaking to Mail Sport – cast doubt on how the home No 1, Ethan De Groot, was able to gain the upper hand on Will Stuart, England's tighthead. Several other respected scrummaging experts also suggested that the Kiwi loosehead was acting illegally in the way he kept shifting outwards and driving up into Stuart. While remaining diplomatic, Borthwick confirmed that .
