England’s kicks in play per Test
The 24 matches behind the historical comparison
| Date | Opponent | Kicks in play | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-02-03 | Italy | 31 | Match ↗ |
| 2024-02-10 | Wales | 32 | Match ↗ |
| 2024-02-24 | Scotland | 31 | Match ↗ |
| 2024-03-09 | Ireland | 23 | Match ↗ |
| 2024-03-16 | France | 34 | Match ↗ |
| 2024-06-22 | Japan | 29 | Match ↗ |
| 2024-07-06 | New Zealand | 31 | Match ↗ |
| 2024-07-13 | New Zealand | 29 | Match ↗ |
| 2024-11-02 | New Zealand | 33 | Match ↗ |
| 2024-11-09 | Wallabies | 27 | Match ↗ |
| 2024-11-16 | South Africa | 31 | Match ↗ |
| 2024-11-24 | Japan | 28 | Match ↗ |
| 2025-02-01 | Ireland | 38 | Match ↗ |
| 2025-02-08 | France | 46 | Match ↗ |
| 2025-02-22 | Scotland | 36 | Match ↗ |
| 2025-03-09 | Italy | 30 | Match ↗ |
| 2025-03-15 | Wales | 33 | Match ↗ |
| 2025-07-05 | Argentina | 41 | Match ↗ |
| 2025-07-12 | Argentina | 40 | Match ↗ |
| 2025-07-19 | USA | 36 | Match ↗ |
| 2025-11-01 | Wallabies | 26 | Match ↗ |
| 2025-11-08 | Fiji | 27 | Match ↗ |
| 2025-11-15 | New Zealand | 35 | Match ↗ |
| 2025-11-23 | Argentina | 40 | Match ↗ |
2024: 359 ÷ 12 = 29.9 kicks per Test. 2025: 428 ÷ 12 = 35.7. The 2026 ledger is in the kicking lab.
First, choose the comparison
England average 27.6 kicks in play per Test across their eight completed matches in our 2026 edition. That puts them first among the 12 national teams we track. France and Wales both average 26.6, with South Africa close behind at 26.3.
That is a statement about this sample, not about every national side or every era. Teams have played different numbers of matches against different opponents. The average describes what happened; it does not isolate a coaching preference from the circumstances of those games.
The historical twist
England recorded 359 kicks in 12 Tests in 2024: 29.9 per match. In 2025 they recorded 428 across 12 Tests: 35.7. Their 2026 average of 27.6 is lower than both. A team can lead its current peers while kicking less than it did a year earlier.
This is why a reputation needs a denominator and a date. “England kick most” and “England are kicking less” can both be true, provided we say who they are being compared with. The 2026 season is also incomplete, while the previous two totals cover full calendar years.
A kick count is the beginning
England retain possession from 42 of their 221 recorded kicks, a rate of 19.0%. France retain 48 of 213, or 22.5%. These are aggregated possession-retention figures, not the percentage of aerial contests won. A tap back recovered by a teammate can count; a kick does not need to be caught cleanly by its kicker.
Distance adds another dimension, but recorded kicking metres are not net territory gained. A long kick returned by an opponent can still produce a large distance figure. The useful question is how the kick fitted the next phase of play. The lab lets you compare volume, distance and retention separately, then inspect the matches beneath the averages.
Sources & methodology · 3 references
This story draws on our dated research edition. Figures are factual aggregates; prose and visualisations are original. Follow the source links to inspect the underlying reporting.
- England 2024 match statistics ↗
- England 2025 match statistics ↗
- England: 2026 results and match statistics ↗
How does your team compare?
Change the measure and inspect the matches behind the averages.
Open the kicking lab