England vs New Zealand: Fine margins topple hosts once again

Tom Hamilton, Senior Writer, November 2, 2024, 6:23 PM

LONDON -- England has experienced this situation before, and it’s painful. Throughout the week, they expressed their frustration about constantly losing by slim margins.

It took place last March against France and then twice during the summer against the All Blacks. Yet, as the match approached its last 10 minutes at the newly renamed Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, it seemed that England had discovered a method to turn the tide of this tough contest in their favor.

However, an unsettling sense of déjà vu crept in as England slowed down their pace while New Zealand picked up theirs. Mark Tele'a's incredible try in the 76th minute was remarkable; he navigated past four England defenders and covered nearly half the field at Twickenham to score.

Next, Damian McKenzie successfully kicked a difficult conversion from the sideline, putting New Zealand ahead by two points. After that, it was England's chance to seek a decisive moment in the match.

They set the stage, but once again, it was the agonizingly slim margins that led to their downfall. Initially, George Ford's penalty kick struck the post, and then they managed to create a scrum due to Henry Slade’s tackle on Patrick Tuipulotu.

They were in a prime position to secure the win with a drop-goal right in front of the posts. However, things didn’t go as planned, and the attempt missed by a few meters to the right. Ford's drop-goal in the final minute went off target, handing New Zealand a 24-22 victory.

When Ford kicked the ball, the crowd at Twickenham exploded with excitement, anticipating that the players in white would soon be celebrating a thrilling victory in the last few tense moments of an electrifying Test match.

A wave of applause swept through the stadium, but then your gaze fell on Ford, who remained still. Gradually, the cheers faded into an unsettling silence while the All Blacks celebrated their hard-fought victory on the field, looking both drained and relieved.

This one is going to hurt. England aimed to achieve a perfect record this autumn, and they had the chance to make a great start against New Zealand. The All Blacks had only managed to win three out of six matches in the Rugby Championship. They were a team in transition, still trying to establish themselves with Scotty Robertson at the helm. This was England's best shot at defeating New Zealand at home for the first time since 2012. It felt like a winnable game, but then again, they are the All Blacks, and they have their reputation and presence for a reason.

Leading up to the game, much of the conversation centered around Joe Marler's social media comments that took aim at the haka, along with the intense desire of both teams to secure a victory. England aimed to establish a winning streak on home ground, while the All Blacks were eager to bounce back after a disappointing summer.

The haka was performed without any issues, with the England team positioned five meters behind the halfway line. They moved forward as the New Zealand players engaged in their traditional pre-game ceremony.

The initial moments of intensity began with a penalty from Marcus Smith just four minutes in, followed by Tele'a making his first of two key plays that secured the victory.

He scored his first try in the eighth minute, receiving a smooth pass from the incredibly skilled Wallace Sititi. He maneuvered around Ellis Genge to put New Zealand ahead on the scoreboard.

While England racked up points from penalty kicks, earning eight in the first half and allowing only one against them, New Zealand managed to break through England's defense once more after 27 minutes. Beauden Barrett made a clever inside pass to an accelerating Will Jordan, who skillfully sidestepped Genge to score.

At halftime, the score difference was just two points, but it felt like New Zealand was vulnerable and could be defeated.

England came out strong in the second half, using their aggressive defense to trap New Zealand in tight spots in the midfield. It didn't take long for Smith to make a crucial interception in the 44th minute, which set up a fantastic scoring opportunity for England.

Smith intercepted a bad pass from Cortez Ratima and dashed past the defenders. He passed the ball to George Furbank, who then delivered a precise pass to Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, allowing him to speed off. It was reminiscent of Chris Ashton's try against Australia in 2010, only this time it involved three players working together.

In contrast to Ashton's impressive performance in that unforgettable victory, it turned out to be a moment of brilliance amidst yet another courageous loss.

This game wasn't defined by flashy plays, but if you have a few minutes to spare, take a moment to check out Sititi's amazing performance. The All Blacks' blindside really shone in his first year on the scene.

Ultimately, the outcome hinged on one team seizing the perfect opportunity at the last moment, while the other struggled to keep up. The changes made in the final quarter didn't help England gain any momentum; rather, they hindered it.

Ford, who had been out of competitive action for a month, struggled to finish the match as he usually does. On the bright side, England can find optimism in Earl's display, the bone-crunching tackles from Chandler Cunningham-South, and Slade's regained fitness. While there's reason to feel hopeful, England is weary of hearing that storyline, having lost four out of their last five tests by a mere total of 12 points, having led at halftime in each of those games.

England now faces a familiar challenge: How can they recover from a courageous loss and make sure that this autumn series is seen as a time of progress for the team, rather than just a continuation of the status quo?

It’s essential to secure victories in the next three Test matches, starting with Australia at home next Saturday. The team must figure out how to triumph in these tightly contested matches, especially during those intense and often painful final moments.

- England faced New Zealand, with George Ford's mistake leading to the All Blacks' victory. - How the top 10 rugby teams are ranked this November during the autumn internationals. - Joe Marler from England has departed from the training camp due to 'personal matters' – according to reports.