Eddie Jones' England have been branded the 'most unpopular team' at the World Cup in a no holds barred attack from the New Zealand rugby media.
The stinging riposte comes after England boss Eddie Jones took a swipe at the Kiwi press, by labelling them 'fans with a keyboard' due to their vocal support of the All Blacks.
In the lead up to Saturday's Rugby World Cup semi-final meeting with New Zealand in Yokohama, the England coach insisted all the pressure was on Steve Hansen's side as they go chasing a third successive Webb Ellis trophy.
In reply, outspoken Kiwi rugby writer Chris Rattue has come out swinging from the New Zealand corner with a blast back at Jones and the England team.
Writing in the New Zealand Herald, Rattue, who has had some forthright views on Welsh rugby down the years, turned his barrels onto England by accusing Jones of pushing the underdog line into 'la-la land' given the RFU are the richest union in world rugby.
He also labelled the England rugby side as "among world sport's biggest duds."
Rattue said in the Herald: "Saturday's World Cup semi-final is a showdown between two Goliaths. One of those monsters more than matches up to reputation, while the other is among world sport's biggest duds.
"Affluent England rugby should be regarded as a laughing stock, not a battling underdog. Its record against New Zealand, in particular, is an absolute joke.
"England is rugby's most unpopular team. The thought of England winning this showdown becomes even more unbearable, with the smart-arse Eddie Jones in charge."
Rattue goes on to list England's record against the New Zealanders since their 2003 in Wellington, that reads 15 defeats from 16 Tests, with six of those losses coming by more than 20 points.
"During that time they've hardly produced one player who gets the pulse racing or might be called a great, although a few forwards in their current side are giving it a very decent crack," he continued.
"England's 2003 victory showed what they should be capable of. It was a major stepping stone towards their World Cup triumph in Australia that year.
"It could have been a springboard. What followed is a shambles.
"Their solitary victory during that time, a fabulous win inspired by Manu Tuilagi in 2012, was greeted with the usual English triumphalism, like they had put a man on the moon."
And while the Herald journo agreed with Jones' throwaway line that the New Zealand media includes 'fans with keyboards', he questioned what would England's coverage be like if they had the same success as the All Blacks.
He said: "Can you imagine the English press reaction if their side had dominated world rugby as the All Blacks have done with such style?"
