Key events
55 mins. Marcus Smith hammers a 50:22 kick behind Tele’a to win his side a lineout deep in NZ territory. That was the latest expression of what a mature and assured performance* this has been from the Quins man
*drop-goals excluded
52 mins. Earl fishes the ball out of a retreating England scrum, but the ball pops out of hands to Caleb Clarke who races forward and puts the white defence on the back foot. But again, there’s not precision and the attack breaks down.
England have a new front row: Theo Dan, Fin Baxter, Dan Cole replace Genge, George and Stuart.
49 mins. England go wide to wide with a cross kick to Freeman on the left then worked all the way back right via hands to Feyi-Waboso. The wing puts his head down and into contact but he holds on for too long and it’s a penalty to NZ around halfway.
TRY! England 19-14 New Zealand (Immanuel Feyi-Waboso)
45 mins. Tuipolotu has a big carry in the England half, but on the recycled possession Smith races out of the line to intercept the pass to Jordan and he’s away and running for 5o metres. He doesn’t have the legs to go all the way, but he calmly feeds Furbank on the inside who pops to Feyi-Waboso in support who finishes off a superb try, the perfect mix of opportunism and class.
Smith converts.
43 mins. A clever kick by Smith turns Tele’a around as he’s forced to retreat to field it on the ground. The winger does enough under pressure to show his defensive work has improved of late.
42 mins. Early change for NZ in the second row as Tupou Vaa’i is replaced by Patrick Tuipulotu as we await an England scrum on the All Black 10m line.
Second Half!
Both teams’ personnel unchanged as the second period gets underway via Marcus Smith’s boot
“This has been a pretty watchable game so far, Lee,” reckons Guy Hornsby. “England’s defence has been full on and risky, they’ve let the All Blacks in at times, but they’ve scrambled well. England have not quite clicked, and for a couple of balls going wide of hands from both sides, this could be a rollicking 25-20 game. The All Blacks have been electric at times, but England have been full of vigour and are very much in touch, but that last drop goal attempt summed up the England half. But they’ve quietly got on top in the scrum. That may prove fruitful.”
That’s a fair summary, I would say.
Half-time! England 12-14 New Zealand
PEEEEEP! That cowpat of a kick was the final act of the half.
40 mins. An England lineout is quick off the top, but it all gets gummed up in midfield and is going nowhere before NZ let them off by Vaai’i coming in from the side.
Off the next possession nothing much is happening so Smith has an attempt at another drop goal. The best I can say about it is that it was better than the last one awful one. 0.000012% better is still better, OK? Give the lad a break.
38 mins. Another incredible jinking, sprinting run from Sititi has him in the open. He flings a long pass left to Vaa’i but it’s just in front of him and the big second row can’t get down low to grip it on the England 22. So very close to another try for the visitors. Sititi an absolute menace when on the hoof.
PENALTY! England 12-14 New Zealand (Marcus Smith)
36 mins. A big scrum penalty is won by the England pack. It’s about 4o metres out but bang in front so Smith takes it on and takes the three points.
33 mins. A massive shot on Tupou Vaa’i by Cunningham-South wakes the crowd up. The England backrow jumps up and is giving it the full WWE to the crowd to whip them up. If there were ropes around the pitch he’d be standing on the second turn buckle and chinning two cans of beer, Stone Cold style.
One thing about this game is that I don’t think either side has reached five phases in possession yet. It’s a real bits and pieces show thus far.
PENALTY! England 9-14 New Zealand (Marcus Smith)
31 mins. Another tackle off the ball by NZ, this time from Sam Cane, has ref Gardner having a long chat with Scott Barrett about sorting it or it’s card time. Smith slots another kick to keep his side in touch on the board.
As I said before, England’s defence is tenacious, but that try came from NZ working out that the energy means they are liable to over-defend via too many people rushing out to give it the large one in the tackle. Beauden Barrett is far too cute a player to not unlock this and that’s exactly what happened.
Poor Ellis Genge has been left flailing for both All Black tries, but he’s blameless in fairness to him.
TRY! England 6-14 New Zealand (Will Jordan)
28 mins. The ball is moving left as Beauden Barrett runs diagonally, pulling Feyi-Waboso in, before he pops the ball to Jordan on a scissor angle who eases around a scrambling Genge into open pasture to sprint over the line from 25 metres.
Barrett converts.
26 mins. More lost possession from a handling error, this one from England in the NZ half. The All Blacks work it quickly to Sititi in midfield who gasses through a gap and over halfway – he is RAPID for a backrower, let me tell you. The attack breaks down at the next breakdown.
23 mins. Feyi-Waboso has been very busy in the opening quarter and his latest contribution is to gather a kick on his own 22 and drop his shoulder to beat the chasing defender to race 25 metres. He’s brought to a halt as he’s absolutely clattered (legally) by Aumua.
21 mins. SponsorNameDome at Twickenham jumps to life as Ben Spencer breaks on halfway. He chip, chases and gathers his own kick in the NZ half but he’s just in touch as he looks to bear down on the Will Jordan. Flag up, whistle blown, everyone sits down again.
18 mins. The scoreboard is a fair reflection of the game so far, both sides have had some territory and some moments but it remains even. England’s new defence under Joe El Abt looks energetic and tenacious.
17 mins. Our first real look at a first phase attack pattern from NZ, and they are very nearly through the England defence via a looping run from Tele’a and a pop pass to Ioane on the angle. The centre is offloading again but Lawrence does a good job of getting amongst it an forcing Ioane to drop the ball.
Ioane hurt his hand in the midst of that, and is replaced by Anton Lienert-Brown
15 mins. The game is high energy and with concomitant lack of poise at times, especially these last few minutes of both sides a little jittery. The latest breakdown of play is a Spencer knock-on which gives NZ a scrum platform just inside the England half.
PENALTY! England 6-7 New Zealand (Marcus Smith)
12 mins. It’s end-to-end stuff as England find themselves back in the NZ 22 with another advantage for a tackle off the ball. This is due to All Black tacklers being too keen with their anticipation of the ball arriving in the hands of their marked man, but unfortunately for them it never arrives.
On the advantage Smith floppily attempts a drop goal with a boot like a bag of overcooked ramen.
No matter as he beckons for the tee and slots this one with a far more assured kick.
TRY! England 3-7 New Zealand (Mark Tele’a)
9 mins. The first visit of the All Blacks to the England 22 has Wallace Sititi carrying into contact and flipping and delightful offload to Tele’a who looks up, sees Genge in front of him and does the prop with a quick in-to-out step before galloping up the left touchline and over the line. Lovely stuff.
Barrett hammers a great conversion over from out wide.
7 mins. NZ look to move the ball left, but the English defence is up quick and forcing Beauden Barrett into a kick that is fielded by a covering Smith. The England 10 looks up and fires a punchy kick one bounce into touch back in All Black territory. Sensible option.
PENALTY! England 3-0 New Zealand (Marcus Smith)
4 mins. The home side are working some phases before Martin can’t grasp a pass in his massive lock mitts. The ball is forward, but the advantage was still rolling meaning Smith can call for the tee and put three points on the board.
2 mins. Beauden Barrett attempts to find Clarke with a kick pass on the NZ 22, but Feyi-Waboso is up in his face to spoil possessions. The ball squirts loose and it puts England on the attack with an advantage
Kick-off!
The rugby has started, England receiving the ball and Smith quickly firing the ball out to Feyi-Waboso who is covered by Tele’a.
The national anthem formalities out of the way, it’s time for the Haka.
There’s been some noise about this in recent days after Joe Marler’s controversial comment that it’s “ridiculous” and “needs binning”. Of course by controversial I mean boring, unoriginal and been said about 5.7 million times before. He’s since apologised saying it was out of context, although quite how it could be given it was the only thing written in the post, and that post was on his own X feed. Patently nonsense.
Anyway, the haka happened here and it was great theatre and brilliant as always. The crowd responded by singing an slavery related song – which is an interesting choice.
Meanwhile, back at the actual game the teams are on the field and it’s anthem time.
“I enjoyed The Game (1997),” says Conor Galaska, “though it is a minor work in David Fincher’s filmography. It uses a weirdly common twist in movies too, which undercuts a lot of the film’s earlier tension.”
Expect a similar situation when the All Blacks score a late winner after looking out of it for most of the match.
Pre-match reading
Ugo Monye would like England to show a bit more, if possible.
Get in touch via email or the X and tell me your thoughts on the game or The Game, the 1997 Michael Douglas film, if that’s more your thing.
Teams
Steve Borthwick is a consistently sensible man and this is reflected in his “as you were” selection; something that is his hallmark of late. Injury keeps out Ollie Chessum, meaning George Martin partners Maro Itoje in the second row while Tom Curry continues his return from injury as he’s selected at openside. There’s a 6-2 bench which features a return for Nick Isiekwe and Harry Randall.
For the visitors, Beauden Barrett is trusted to bring his cocktail of experience and outrageous yet sensible talent to the 10 shirt, where he partners Cortez Rataima in the halves. Damien McKenzie is among the replacements.
England
George Furbank, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Henry Slade, Ollie Lawrence, Tommy Freeman, Marcus Smith, Ben Spencer; Ellis Genge, Jamie George (captain), Will Stuart, Maro Itoje, George Martin, Chandler Cunningham-South, Tom Curry, Ben Earl
Replacements:
Theo Dan, Fin Baxter, Dan Cole, Nick Isiekwe, Ben Curry, Alex Dombrandt, Harry Randall, George Ford
New Zealand
Will Jordan, Mark Tele’a, Reiko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Caleb Clarke, Beauden Barrett, Cortez Ratima; Tamaiti Williams, Codie Taylor, Tyrel Lomax, Scott Barrett (captain), Tupou Vaa’i, Wallace Sititi, Sam Cane, Ardie Savea
Replacements:
Asafo Aumua, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Pasilio Tosi, Patrick Tuipulotu, Samipeni Finau, Cam Roigard, Anton Lienert-Brown, Damian McKenzie
Preamble
Welcome the the SponsorNameDome here in Twickenham for the curtain raiser of the Autumn International 2024 series for England as they take on the not currently as mighty as they used to be but still probably mighty enough New Zealand.
If one were to view this fixture as the final match in the three test series that started in the summer down in Aotearoa, then for the All Blacks this is a dead rubber given they won both matches back in July. However, England will know how close that mini series was and recall the agony they felt flying home so there’s nothing dead about this game for Steve Borthwick’s men. New Zealand will want a win to see a smoother improvement trendline than has so far been evident under the Scott Robertson regime.
The home side have seen developments in their attacking game in the past 12 months, and if this season’s Premiership season is anything to go by then the ball will be flung about all the circumspection of a Liz Truss budget. But the game is also played without possession and this is the first outing for England since the controversial departure of defence coach Felix Jones.
It was a tight affair a few months ago between the two nations and we can expect more of the same here, methinks.
