'We came for an adventure and we never went back'

New Zealand v England 2nd Test

Date: Saturday, 13 July Kick-off: 08:05 BST Venue: Eden Park, Auckland

Coverage: Listen to unrecorded commentary connected BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds and travel unrecorded matter commentary connected nan BBC Sport website and app.

New Zealand is uncharted territory for galore players successful this young England squad. The mostly had ne'er visited nan state earlier this tour, fto unsocial played rugby here.

But for flanker Chandler Cunningham-South, it has been a lawsuit of coming backmost to his 2nd home.

"I was concerned really he would feel, coming location and facing nan haka," said his mum Caroline complete a java successful Auckland.

"But he was prepared and he knew he had made nan correct decision."

The 21-year-old, reflecting connected nan first Test successful Dunedin, added: "It was very cool. I felt very proud to beryllium playing for England present successful New Zealand."

Born successful London, astatine nan property of 4 Cunningham-South and nan family relocated northbound of Auckland.

"We came for a spot of an escapade and we ne'er went back," explained Caroline.

The family embraced nan Kiwi measurement of life, pinch Chandler throwing himself into mini rugby astatine Silverdale Rugby Club, quickly being bumped up nan weight categories.

"He was ever heavy!" said Caroline.

"A very bully friend of excavation was connected nan committee erstwhile it came to nan weighing successful astatine Silverdale aft his first play of playing Rippa [a non-contact shape of nan crippled for children aged 5 to seven].

"They popped him connected nan scales and past powerfully suggested to maine he should spell to Tackle [the adjacent level up].

"I was horrified - he conscionable jumped up and down saying: 'Tackle! Tackle! Tackle!' And that was that.

"He played a batch of sport, tons of different codes and kept america very busy. But rugby was ever his love. He loved to tackle and loved to run."

England fans person seen those attributes successful spades since Cunningham-South burst connected to nan world segment erstwhile he made his debut against Italy successful Rome successful February.

But it took a leap of religion to get to this point.

At nan extremity of 2021, Cunningham-South's improvement successful New Zealand had stalled. Despite being connected nan radar of master sides, he was without an academy contract.

Frustrated pinch nan deficiency of opportunities, he put together a highlights reel successful his chamber and sent it astir nan world. London Irish came calling and he moved backmost to England aged conscionable 18.

"Mum wasn't excessively happy, but she's good pinch it now!" said Chandler pinch a laugh.

Caroline added: "I americium incredibly proud of him. He had realised he was astatine a constituent that if he was going to make it, he needed an academy position somewhere.

"There were nary connected connection successful New Zealand, truthful it was suggested for him to look astir nan world, and he did.

"He has ever known his ain mind and I spot him to make sound judgements. And nan remainder is history, I guess."

Cunningham-South quickly made waves astatine Irish, but erstwhile nan nine went retired of business successful nan summertime of 2023, location was a further twist.

Returning to New Zealand, pinch his estimation forged, was a unrecorded anticipation earlier he moved crossed municipality to Harlequins.

"There was a chance to travel backmost to New Zealand, but it wasn't nan champion move for Chandler," said Caroline.

"He said to me: 'I americium a London boy, mum.'"

Chandler explained: "I ever had nan personality that I americium English surviving successful New Zealand.

"I had nan Kiwi accent! But it has slow fizzled out."

Before Saturday's showdown astatine Eden Park, location are a fewer issues for nan family to navigate.

For Chandler, it is dealing pinch nan blizzard of summons requests from aged friends. For Caroline, it is balancing up her English roots and support of her boy pinch nan affinity she has for her adopted home.

Singing some nationalist anthems astatine nan first crippled was her sensible compromise.

"I americium British-born, but New Zealand is my home," she said.

"I tin bask [the game] - erstwhile he's done his first drawback aliases tackle. Once that is retired of nan measurement he settles down, and I settee down, and we some bask nan game."

Chandler added: "Everyone's travel is different, excavation is simply a spot weird, but I'm happy."

As Cunningham-South continues to excel successful a achromatic shirt, England supporters some successful Auckland and astatine location will beryllium gladsome nan measurement his travel has worked out.