Steve Hansen

Jones was sacked by England earlier this month after a poor run of form.

"I'm very much looking forward to returning to Twickenham Stadium - a venue I have so many fond memories of," said Jones.

"I'm more motivated than ever to put on a show."

The World XV will be overseen by former All Blacks coach Hansen, against whom Jones and England achieved a 2019 World Cup semi-final victory.

"Going up against Steve rekindles a great rivalry which first started in our days competing in Super Rugby and progressed into the international arena," added Jones.

Hansen came out firing in an interview with Today FM's Tova O'Brien after weeks of fierce public criticism of the All Blacks, with coach Ian Foster forced to take all the flak while NZ Rugby stayed silent.

That appears to have been the straw that broke the camel’s back for Hansen, whose criticism will put NZ Rugby under intense pressure to respond.

The 36-year-old, who earned 43 test caps over eight years and won a World Cup in 2015, even thought Hansen “hated him”.

Messam particularly copped plenty of stick from Hansen, who was then an assistant coach under Graham Henry, in 2009, after the then 25-year-old started at No 8 and had a match to forget during a shock 27-22 loss against France in Dunedin.

“A lot of things didn't go well for me – I fell off a few tackles, I probably didn't put in enough back-to-back efforts – and I can remember it so clearly," Messam wrote in a column for The XV.

In an interview with Stuff, Hansen said New Zealand owed Australia nothing in a week where tensions have escalated between the two nations following the revelations of findings from the Aratipu review into the future of Super Rugby.

The review has been undertaken to find ways to improve and re-shape the competition in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with one suggestion being an increase in Kiwi teams and a reduction of Australian sides in a trans-Tasman tournament.

Hansen's eight-year tenure at the New Zealand helm ended following the Rugby World Cup bronze final win over Wales, a semi-final defeat to England having denied him a shot at a second title.

NZR confirmed the search for his successor was under way in a statement released on Wednesday, in which the organisation said it had invited "applications from a small group of coaches familiar with New Zealand's professional rugby environment".

Cane went for an HIA at halftime in Yokohama, and passed it, but he did not return to the field with his teammates for the second half.

Match officials determined Cane had spent too much time off the field and so could not return, despite passing the concussion test.

According to World Rugby regulations, if a player is unable to return from an HIA after 10 minutes, or directly following the 15 minute halftime break, then he must be replaced.

Fiji born winger, Sevu Reece is likely to get a place in the team after his performance in the second Bledisloe Cup match against the Wallabies.

Other players that are likely to be selected for the defending champions are Keiran Read, Beauden Barrett, Sam Whitelock, Sam Cane, Ardie Savea, Aaron Smith, Richie Mo’unga and Jack Goodhue.

The All Blacks are looking to win three World Cup titles in a row and their fourth overall.

The All Blacks, who name their 31-man World Cup squad next week play Tonga in Hamilton on September 7th before facing South Africa in their opening Pool B clash two weeks later.

Hansen said he was wary of his first-choice players losing sharpness between last weekend's 36-0 victory over Australia at Eden Park and their World Cup opener.

"We'd like probably most of the frontliners to get some form of game-time in the Tonga game, otherwise it's too big a break before we play South Africa," Hansen said in comments published by Stuff Media.

A South African supporter spotted All Blacks fullback Barrett nudging the ball with his foot while referee Nic Berry had his back turned during the 16-all draw in the Cake Tin last weekend, and posted TV footage of the incident on social media.

Feedback from fans online didn't lack heat.

The All Blacks coach delivered an unequivocal judgment on the state of Argentine rugby ahead of an important little period where the might of the South American nation was about to assess itself against the very best on offer from New Zealand.

On Saturday night in Christchurch, the Jaguares of Argentina – more or less the World Cup-bound Pumas in the guise of a franchise – will tackle back-to-back champs the Crusaders in their first ever Super Rugby final.