With the England and New Zealand cricket teams currently playing each other in a One Day Series (and England having just beaten New Zealand in a Test Series), and the England and New Zealand rugby union teams playing each other in a Test Series, it is obvious that England have a better cricket team than New Zealand but New Zealand have a better rugby union team than England.
Just the day after the England cricket team destroyed New Zealand in a Twenty20 match, the New Zealand rugby union team destroy England in the first Test match of the Series between the two.
It was a new-look England team, with Topsy Ojo, making his debut for England, also scoring a try. But the colonists eventually came out on top against the 2007 World Cup finalists....
Rugby Union
By James Standley
BBC
Conrad Smith was the first of New Zealand's four try scorers
NEW ZEALAND 37-20 ENGLAND
(At Eden Park, Auckland)
New Zealand: Muliaina; Tuitavake, Smith, Nonu, Sivivatu; Carter, Ellis; Tialata, Hore, Somerville, Thorn, Williams, So'oialo, McCaw (capt), Kaino.
Replacements: Mealamu, Schwalger, Boric, Lauaki, Cowan, Donald, MacDonald.
**************************************************************
England: Brown; Ojo, Tindall, Barkley, Strettle; Hodgson, Wigglesworth; Sheridan, Mears, Stevens, Palmer, Borthwick (capt), Haskell, Rees, Narraway.
Replacements: Paice, Payne, Kay, Worsley, Care, Noon, Tait.
Topsy Ojo scored a try in his first competitive game for England, but the New Zealand All Blacks came out on top
New boss Martin Johnson now knows the size of the task facing him after a young England side were put to the sword in Auckland.
England took an early 6-3 lead but New Zealand hit back with converted tries from Conrad Smith and Dan Carter and three Carter penalties.
Topsy Ojo's interception score cut the hosts' lead to 23-13 at the break.
But Mils Muliaina and Sitiveni Sivivatu added further tries, with Ojo's second score little consolation for England.
It was England's first Test since 2003 World Cup-winning captain Johnson replaced Brian Ashton as England boss, although Rob Andrew is in charge of the tour party because Johnson remained in England as his wife is expecting their second child.
England travelled south without a handful of big names and fielded a side composed entirely of twentysomethings, but New Zealand are a side in transition as well.
They have lost several top players to European club rugby since their unsuccessful World Cup campaign last October and they were less than impressive in defeating Ireland last weekend.
England said all the right things leading into the game and when they started impressively it looked as though an upset might be on the cards, but once the visitors' initial surge ran out of steam New Zealand assumed total control.
It all began so promisingly for England as their youthful back row hammered away at New Zealand and put the hosts on the back foot.
Olly Barkley landed two penalties to one from Carter and England went close to the first try of the match, Strettle losing control in Jerome Kaino's tackle as he tried to go over in the corner.
But the turning point came when England lost possession from the restart after Barkley's second penalty and the All Blacks hit them with an 18-point blitz.
Carter grubber-kicked in behind the England backline and Smith sliced between three defenders before picking up and diving over for the All Blacks' opening try.
Carter converted and soon added a penalty and two minutes later they scored their second try.
Andrew Ellis attacked from the base of a solid scrum and scissored with Sivivatu, who put Carter over untouched for a sparkling try.
England's Strettle came close to scoring the first try of the game
Carter converted from in front and England were suddenly looking as white as their shirts, but it soon got even worse for the visitors.
Giant prop Andrew Sheridan was yellow carded for not rolling away in the tackle and Carter's third penalty meant the hosts led 23-6.
The fly-half may not have been in the best of form going into the game but he was playing beautifully and nearly set up a third New Zealand try with a lovely dummy through the England midfield.
It looked like he had given a scoring pass but Ojo read it beautifully and had the pace to return it over 80m for a stunning try.
Barkley converted to give England a glimmer of hope at the break but the All Blacks slammed the door firmly shut with two tries within five minutes of the restart.
Ma'a Nonu was heavily involved in both, first blasting through a feeble tackle from Hodgson to release Muliaina and then feeding Sivivatu after England lost possession in their own 22.
Two Carter conversions made it 37-13 and any thoughts of an England comeback had been snuffed out.
England hauled off Hodgson and brought on Jamie Noon to shore up their midfield and even managed the final score of the game as Ojo collected a fine kick from replacement scrum-half Danny Care to score his second. Barkley's conversion trimmed the gap to 37-20 but it was a chastening evening for England's youngsters.
England's fans may be outnumbered but those present are in good spirits ahead of the first Test against the All Blacks in Auckland
England take an early 6-3 lead but the All Blacks strike when Conrad Smith gathers a chip to score near the posts
Star fly-half Dan Carter then joins the party as he scores after a fine scissors move as the All Blacks cut loose to lead 23-6
Mike Tindall is back for England for the first time since February but he is well marshalled by the New Zealand defence as England struggle
New Zealand run in second-half tries from Mils Muliaina (right) and Sitiveni Sivivatu as they cruise to a 37-20 victory
news.bbc.co.uk/sport
Just the day after the England cricket team destroyed New Zealand in a Twenty20 match, the New Zealand rugby union team destroy England in the first Test match of the Series between the two.
It was a new-look England team, with Topsy Ojo, making his debut for England, also scoring a try. But the colonists eventually came out on top against the 2007 World Cup finalists....
Rugby Union
By James Standley
BBC
Conrad Smith was the first of New Zealand's four try scorers
NEW ZEALAND 37-20 ENGLAND
(At Eden Park, Auckland)
New Zealand: Muliaina; Tuitavake, Smith, Nonu, Sivivatu; Carter, Ellis; Tialata, Hore, Somerville, Thorn, Williams, So'oialo, McCaw (capt), Kaino.
Replacements: Mealamu, Schwalger, Boric, Lauaki, Cowan, Donald, MacDonald.
**************************************************************
England: Brown; Ojo, Tindall, Barkley, Strettle; Hodgson, Wigglesworth; Sheridan, Mears, Stevens, Palmer, Borthwick (capt), Haskell, Rees, Narraway.
Replacements: Paice, Payne, Kay, Worsley, Care, Noon, Tait.
Topsy Ojo scored a try in his first competitive game for England, but the New Zealand All Blacks came out on top
New boss Martin Johnson now knows the size of the task facing him after a young England side were put to the sword in Auckland.
England took an early 6-3 lead but New Zealand hit back with converted tries from Conrad Smith and Dan Carter and three Carter penalties.
Topsy Ojo's interception score cut the hosts' lead to 23-13 at the break.
But Mils Muliaina and Sitiveni Sivivatu added further tries, with Ojo's second score little consolation for England.
It was England's first Test since 2003 World Cup-winning captain Johnson replaced Brian Ashton as England boss, although Rob Andrew is in charge of the tour party because Johnson remained in England as his wife is expecting their second child.
England travelled south without a handful of big names and fielded a side composed entirely of twentysomethings, but New Zealand are a side in transition as well.
They have lost several top players to European club rugby since their unsuccessful World Cup campaign last October and they were less than impressive in defeating Ireland last weekend.
England said all the right things leading into the game and when they started impressively it looked as though an upset might be on the cards, but once the visitors' initial surge ran out of steam New Zealand assumed total control.
It all began so promisingly for England as their youthful back row hammered away at New Zealand and put the hosts on the back foot.
Olly Barkley landed two penalties to one from Carter and England went close to the first try of the match, Strettle losing control in Jerome Kaino's tackle as he tried to go over in the corner.
But the turning point came when England lost possession from the restart after Barkley's second penalty and the All Blacks hit them with an 18-point blitz.
Carter grubber-kicked in behind the England backline and Smith sliced between three defenders before picking up and diving over for the All Blacks' opening try.
Carter converted and soon added a penalty and two minutes later they scored their second try.
Andrew Ellis attacked from the base of a solid scrum and scissored with Sivivatu, who put Carter over untouched for a sparkling try.
England's Strettle came close to scoring the first try of the game
Carter converted from in front and England were suddenly looking as white as their shirts, but it soon got even worse for the visitors.
Giant prop Andrew Sheridan was yellow carded for not rolling away in the tackle and Carter's third penalty meant the hosts led 23-6.
The fly-half may not have been in the best of form going into the game but he was playing beautifully and nearly set up a third New Zealand try with a lovely dummy through the England midfield.
It looked like he had given a scoring pass but Ojo read it beautifully and had the pace to return it over 80m for a stunning try.
Barkley converted to give England a glimmer of hope at the break but the All Blacks slammed the door firmly shut with two tries within five minutes of the restart.
Ma'a Nonu was heavily involved in both, first blasting through a feeble tackle from Hodgson to release Muliaina and then feeding Sivivatu after England lost possession in their own 22.
Two Carter conversions made it 37-13 and any thoughts of an England comeback had been snuffed out.
England hauled off Hodgson and brought on Jamie Noon to shore up their midfield and even managed the final score of the game as Ojo collected a fine kick from replacement scrum-half Danny Care to score his second. Barkley's conversion trimmed the gap to 37-20 but it was a chastening evening for England's youngsters.
England's fans may be outnumbered but those present are in good spirits ahead of the first Test against the All Blacks in Auckland
England take an early 6-3 lead but the All Blacks strike when Conrad Smith gathers a chip to score near the posts
Star fly-half Dan Carter then joins the party as he scores after a fine scissors move as the All Blacks cut loose to lead 23-6
Mike Tindall is back for England for the first time since February but he is well marshalled by the New Zealand defence as England struggle
New Zealand run in second-half tries from Mils Muliaina (right) and Sitiveni Sivivatu as they cruise to a 37-20 victory
news.bbc.co.uk/sport