Whether Stuart Lancaster’s team was up for it was yet to be seen, but the England fans certainly were after a thunderous rendition of Swing Low Sweet Chariot very nearly drowned out the Kapo O Pango. After ten minutes of action it still wasn’t quite clear as both sides were entrenched in a battle of wits, and neither quite willing to deviate from the tactical kicking exchange.
An offside penalty gave the All Blacks an attacking lineout just on England’s side of halfway, and after a few patient phases another penalty offered Dan Carter a shot at three points. Uncharacteristically, he missed, offering England some relief, and Geoff Parling won his side a penalty at the breakdown to give Owen Farrell a chance get some territory.
The English forwards were starting to impose themselves and the assault was rewarded with a shot for Farrell, and he duly obliged to put his men into the lead. New Zealand came straight back at them, as they are wont to do, but Carter incredibly missed again. More pressure from England, defending superbly, almost saw them go over in the corner but for Chris Ashton to drop the final pass. No matter, as Farrell took the advantage and scored his second penalty goal.
With momentum swung firmly in their favour England drove on once more, and as if to thumb his nose at the critics that had dismissed his IRB player of the year nomination, Farrell this time put over his first international drop goal. Another penalty goal on the halftime whistle stretched the lead and would you believe it, the All Blacks were scoreless after forty minutes.
The fantasy lead was extended to fifteen as the crowd was still retaking their seats and it looked like England might run away with it. The men in black are never to be counted out, however, and in defiance they responded with rapid fire tries from Julian Savea and Kieran Read, both converted by Carter to all but close the gap. An untimely defensive mistake from the ultra-reliable Conrad Smith, however, opened a hole for Brad Barritt who worked a give and go with Manu Tuilagi to score a scintillating try in riposte.
Sensing a famous victory England turned up the heat and in the space of five minutes a rampant Tuilagi created first a try for Ashton and then for himself as he intercepted Kieran Read’s loose pass. Two penalties from replacement Freddie Burns on debut rounded it off as Savea scored a second near the death to make the scoreline only slightly less one sided.
The result was not merely a monumental upset, it was quite simply one of the great performances by a northern hemisphere side in the professional era, and arguably of all time for England. The commitment to the breakdown both in attack and defence was ferocious and unwavering, and every time they were given a chance they took points. The All Blacks were perhaps a bit jaded from a long season of rugby, but they were well and truly second best on a day that will live long in the memories of the Twickenham faithful.
SCORING
25 mins – Owen Farrell pen 3-0
33 mins – Owen Farrell pen 6-0
37 mins – Owen Farrell dg 9-0
40 mins – Owen Farrell pen 12-0
43 mins – Owen Farrell pen 15-0
47 mins – Julian Savea try 15-5
48 mins – Dan Carter con 15-7
50 mins – Kieran Read try 15-12
51 mins – Dan Carter con 15-14
55 mins – Brad Barritt try 20-14
57 mins – Chris Ashton try 25-14
61 mins – Manu Tuilagi try 30-14
62 mins – Owen Farrell con 32-14
65 mins – Freddie Burns pen 35-14
72 mins – Freddie Burns pen 38-14
74 mins – Julian Savea try 38-19
75 mins – Aaron Cruden con 38-21
CARDS
74 mins – Mako Vunipola yellow (professional foul)
ENGLAND
Alex Goode; Chris Ashton, Manu Tuilagi (Jonathan Joseph 66), Brad Barritt, Mike Brown; Owen Farrell (Freddie Burns 64), Ben Youngs (Danny Care 68); Alex Corbisiero (Mako Vunipola 66), Tom Youngs (David Paice 73), Dan Cole (David Wilson 73); Joe Launchbury (Courtney Lawes 66), Geoff Parling; Tom Wood (Dan Cole 78), Chris Robshaw (capt.), Ben Morgan (James Haskell 57).
NEW ZEALAND
Israel Dagg (Ben Smith 70); Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu, Julian Savea; Dan Carter (Aaron Cruden 64), Aaron Smith (Piri Weepu 64); Tony Woodcock (Wyatt Crockett 66), Keven Mealamu (Dane Coles 63), Owen Franks (Charlie Faumuina 52); Brodie Retallick (Luke Romano 49), Sam Whitelock; Liam Messam (Victor Vito 63), Richie McCaw (capt.), Kieran Read.
