The mad 15 minutes that cost England victory over All Blacks – explained
There was a feeling of cold familiarity for England as they allowed another winning position to slip away from them, falling to a third successive loss to New Zealand. This is how a dramatic finale played out at Twickenham.
Earl penalty gives All Blacks momentum
66th minute: England 22 New Zealand 14
England seem to have completed another excellent defensive stand when Maro Itoje steals possession on the floor and a frustrated Beauden Barrett creeps offside to concede a penalty. However, as he had done to England’s benefit several times earlier, television match official Marius Jonker alerts referee Angus Gardner to a misdemeanour.
Ben Earl has tackled Pasilio Tosi, the hulking tighthead prop, without wrapping his arms early enough. It is an offence that Earl also committed at the death to cost England at the end of their loss in Lyon to finish the Six Nations. Damian McKenzie notches three easy points.
What a game we've got here! 🤯
Damian McKenzie narrows the gap!#AutumnNationsSeries | #ENGvNZL pic.twitter.com/WNsSKYnsdJ— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) November 2, 2024
England’s scrum creaks
69th minute: England 22 New Zealand 17
Harry Randall’s box-kick allows Immanuel Feyi-Waboso to rise above McKenzie but a supporting Alex Dombrandt cannot quite control the ricochet. From the ensuing scrum, Tosi powers through Fin Baxter and earns a penalty.
Scrum struggles continue
70th minute: England 22 New Zealand 17
McKenzie hoists a high ball diagonally across the pitch, allowing Mark Tele’a to rise against George Furbank and gather possession – a ban on escort runners characterised the kicking exchanges and New Zealand were probably superior in the air. Tommy Freeman strips Tele’a but the ball bobbles forward and the All Blacks force another scrum penalty after England’s front row stands up.
All Blacks tap-and-go
74th minute: England 22 New Zealand 17
Although the line-out is messy, some powerful phase play from New Zealand, directed by Cam Roigard, is enough to eke out a penalty when Itoje is collared for competing illegally at the breakdown. Dan Cole clasps on to ensure that the All Blacks cannot capitalise on the advantage, so the All Blacks opt for a tap move.
Missed tackles prove costly
75th minute: England 22 New Zealand 17
Alex Dombrandt buffets Ofa Tu’ungafasi backwards, but New Zealand regain impetus and go wide. Will Jordan offloads to Tele’a, who hitch-kicks before spinning out of George Ford’s tackle and surging over the line with Randall on his back. McKenzie’s conversion, taking from way behind the 22 in order to mitigate any potential chargers, is struck beautifully.
Tele'a again! 🔥
It's another unbelievable finish and with the kick, the @AllBlacks have the lead!#AutumnNationsSeries | #ENGvNZL pic.twitter.com/rp9mbrz688— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) November 2, 2024
Yellow card gives England a chance
78th minute: England 22 New Zealand 24
Steve Borthwick replaces Ollie Lawrence with Nick Isiekwe, sending Ben Earl into the centres. Ford’s short restart is won back by a chasing Freeman and Theo Dan gathers. The hooker earns ground and then sparks England a second time, despite being hit high by Anton Lienert-Brown.
Play continues and Ford milks a penalty by pumping a dummy towards Feyi-Waboso, who is tackled off the ball by Lienert-Brown. Gardner brandishes a yellow card. After a long pause for Dan to receive treatment, Jonker again alerts Gardner to Lienert-Brown’s earlier tackle on Dan. The upshot is that Lienert-Brown remains yellow-carded and the penalty is taken where he obstructed Feyi-Waboso.
Ford calls for the tee, and strikes the right post, but England get one last chance. Following up the kick at goal, Henry Slade makes a tackle on Patrick Tuipulotu that brings about a knock-on. The hosts have a put-in 10 metres out.
Drop goal botched
79th minute: England 22 New Zealand 24
Tosi surges through Baxter and Jamie George, the latter back on for Dan, and Randall must scamper away from a backpedalling set piece. Tuipulotu rag-dolls Ford in an upright tackle on the 22 and England zig-zag for a handful of phases. When they cross the 22 again, Ford drops into the pocket but, with Roigard closest of the defenders rushing up, he skews his drop-goal attempt to the right of the posts.
Matt Dawson, who supplied the final pass for Jonny Wilkinson’s historic strike in 2003, believes that accuracy abandoned England. “It was utter chaos,” he tells BBC Radio 5 Live. “All it needed was the composure from George Ford but you cannot put the blame on him. It was a terrible pass under pressure [from Randall].”
WHAT A MATCH! 😱
George Ford had the chance to win it with a drop goal but pushes it wide and the All Blacks claim the win!#AutumnNationsSeries | #ENGvNZL pic.twitter.com/rV8qYW2Jf3— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) November 2, 2024