England on Saturday defeated New Zealand for the first time at Twickenham in 13 years, winning 33-19 to end the All Blacks’ Grand Slam hopes.
England were behind 12-0 early, but rallied impressively with 25 straight points and 33 of the last 40 for a crushing milestone result.
A 10th straight win since February — England’s longest streak in nearly a decade — was also the most esteemed yet in coach Steve Borthwick’s three-year reign.
Photo: AP
England beat the All Blacks infrequently, only nine times in 120 years.
“The most exciting thing I find for this team right now is that we left a load of points out there,” Borthwick said. “We got held up over the goal-line and there were a couple of knock-ons in the 22 when it looked like we were about to score.”
“That tells me there’s a huge amount of growth in this team because we were playing the No. 2 side in the world. We’ll enjoy this, it’s another great memory that the players have made and then we’ll go on to next Sunday and try and make another memory against Argentina,” he said.
Photo: AP
Meanwhile, the All Blacks’ bid to sweep the home unions for the first time in 15 years, after beating Ireland and Scotland, was blown away.
“England pulled the rug from under us. It is hugely disappointing,” All Blacks captain Scott Barrett said.
Will Jordan’s 45th test try lifted them to within six points with 15 minutes to go, but even with Ben Earl in the sin-bin England finished strong.
A George Ford penalty gave England a decisive nine-point gap with five to go, and winger Tom Roebuck put the cherry on top with a late try from a dropped All Blacks pass.
Ford was named the man of the match, a year after the flyhalf was booed off Twickenham for missing a late penalty and drop goal in a two-point loss to the All Blacks.
“I know you like to talk about 12 months ago and the ball hitting a post, but he came on 12 months ago and played really well, as he always does for England,” Borthwick said. “When he pulls on the England shirt he is just such a consistent performer.”
Ford, picked at flyhalf ahead of British and Irish Lions Fin Smith and Marcus Smith for his greater experience and composure, was three of five off the tee, but it was his two drop goals before half-time that gave England boosts of hope and energy.
The double drops lifted England to within one point at halftime, and three minutes after the break, they were finally ahead on Sam Underhill’s try converted by Ford.
Ford had a try scrubbed by an offside penalty, but even after New Zealand hooker Codie Taylor returned from the sin-bin, Fraser Dingwall blew over the try-line running off his midfield partner Ollie Lawrence.
New Zealand took advantage of Earl’s yellow card for Jordan’s converted try, but England finished the match as it started, on fire.
England met the haka in a U formation and enjoyed a lively start, although it was well contained by New Zealand.
The All Blacks were clinical at the other end, easily getting wide of England with big passes by Beauden Barrett and Quinn Tupaea for tries by Leicester Fainga’anuku and Taylor in a four-minute span.
England’s attack was transformed by the passing skills of Marcus Smith, who replaced Freddie Steward after the fullback suffered a head knock.
Winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso was unleashed and Lawrence busted two tackles to score, and England was on its way.
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