Another case of coulda, woulda, shoulda for England, who let a glorious opportunity to beat the All Blacks slip through their fingers at Twickenham. New Zealand were not nearly at their best, but clinical enough to come away with a win thanks to England’s blunders. Stuart Lancaster will be desperately disappointed with the result given that his team looked well prepared to give it a real go only to let the All Blacks off the hook once more.
England blitzed the world champions in the opening ten minutes. Jonny May showed his searing pace by rounding Conrad Smith and then Israel Dagg with startling ease, but May spoiled another opportunity by failing to connect with a wide open Owen Farrell and Mike Brown dropped a certain try from a perfectly placed pass from Kyle Eastmond. Winning the big games is all about taking those opportunities, and one out of three just isn’t good enough.
The thing about New Zealand is that it’s never a surprise when they score a try. There’s a sense of inevitability about it. They get a sniff and then it’s on, and the rest is like clockwork. The surgical precision that constructed Aaron Cruden’s try was mesmerizing.
Accuracy and execution will be two words being hammered home in the England camp this week. Farrell missed touch on a penalty clearance just after the break and it cost them 50 metres and eventually a try to Richie McCaw. Replacement lock George Kruis, on for a concussed Courtney Lawes, shot out of line and the All Blacks pounced. Even with Dagg determined to bungle up a 3-on-1 they still managed to take 5 from what should have been 7.
Nigel Owens hasn’t been in great form this year, especially with England involved, and he let McCaw get away with bloody murder at the breakdown 10 minutes into the second half. Billy Vunipola had put his side on the front foot with a nifty break inside the New Zealand 22, and somehow Owens determined McCaw’s hand in was legal, despite the ruck having clearly already formed, and the All Black captain well off his feet. Instead of a shot at goal for Farrell in a 2 point game, it was 75 metres back the other way for a lineout. If Owens wasn’t getting any Christmas cards from England fans after the summer, he’ll be getting lumps of coal in his stocking now.
Even with the judiciary blunder, the game was there to be won. Dylan Hartley goaded Dane Coles into a silly yellow card, but England fell abominably short of capitalising on the man advantage. Danny Care kicked the ball straight into New Zealand’s hands three times in three minutes displaying a shocking lack of situational awareness. It wasn’t just the errant execution, it was simply bad decision making.
As the rain poured in, England’s chances washed away with it. New Zealand shortened up their attack and went through the phases, never giving the white jerseys a sniff. Had Cruden or his replacement Beauden Barrett not missed several shots at goal the match would have been well over by the time Kieran Brookes and Rob Webber inspired a penalty try from the scrum.
There’s no sense in anyone talking about learning something from this result, it was a botched assignment, plain and simple. The lineout was excellent, the scrum stable, and the chances there, but they just didn’t make use of the ball. Care and Farrell surely face the chopping block, and possibly Brown as well. The All Blacks don’t tolerate performances like that and if England are to challenge for the World Cup at home next year they have to demand more from their experienced players. Next week’s test against the Springboks will be a defining moment for their season. They don’t need to win, but they need to take their chances.
ENGLAND 21 vs 24 NEW ZEALAND
Saturday, November 8, 14:30 GMT, London
SCORING
03 mins – J. May try 5-0
14 mins – A. Cruden try 5-5
17 mins – O. Farrell pen 8-5
22 mins – O. Farrell pen 11-5
23 mins – A. Cruden pen11-8
37 mins – A. Cruden pen 11-11
40 mins – O. Farrell pen 14-11
45 mins – R. McCaw try 14-16
66 mins – B. Barrett pen 14-19
71 mins – C. Faumuina try 14-24
79 mins – Penalty try (scrum) 19-24
79 mins – G. Ford con 21-24
CARDS
56 mins – D. Coles yellow (foul play)
ENGLAND
M. Brown; S. Rokoduguni (A. Watson 62), B. Barritt, K. Eastmond (G. Ford 64), J. May; O. Farrell, D. Care (B. Youngs 62); J. Marler (M. Mullan 55), D. Hartley (R. Webber 73), D. Wilson (K. Brookes 73); D. Attwood, C. Lawes (G. Kruis 22); T. Wood, C. Robshaw (capt.), B. Vunipola (B. Morgan 53).
NEW ZEALAND
I. Dagg; B. Smith, C. Smith (R. Crotty 47), S.B. Williams, J. Savea; A. Cruden (B. Barrett 59), A. Smith (T.J. Perenara 66); W. Crockett (B. Franks 59), D. Coles (L. Messam 66), O. Franks (C. Faumuina 47); B. Retallick (P. Tu’ipulotu HT), S. Whitelock; J. Kaino (K. Mealamu 60), R. McCaw (capt.), K. Read.
Referee: N. Owens (WRU)
Assistants: J. Garcès (FFR) & D. Phillips (IRFU)
TMO: S. McDowell (IRFU)
