Wood cautions against uncontrolled passion

Stuart Lancaster’s tourists arrived in Dunedin yesterday bristling with intent to level a series that was launched with a painful 20-15 defeat at Eden Park.

Both sides have claimed they are ready to improve substantially on their first Test performances, but the All Blacks remain overwhelming 1-8 favourites to amass a third successive victory in the fixture.

Wood, restored at blindside flanker after helping Northampton lift the Aviva Premiership title, insists that defeating the world champions requires intelligence and passion in equal measure.

“Emotion is a powerful thing in rugby and when you get it right it’s a huge weapon,” he said.

“But it can also completely undo you if you allow it to become completely about vengeance, hatred or anything else. If you allow that to overcome you, you’re in trouble.

“Emotion is only a good thing if you channel it correctly.”

Newcastle prop Kieran Brookes, who was on loan at Doncaster in 2012-13 while with Leicester, will hope to make his Test debut from England’s bench.