In the final week of a 13-month season, during which England recovered from hitting rock bottom to finish third at the World Cup and then began a positive project of reinvention, the All Blacks at Eden Park proved to be a bridge too far. England were valiant but vanquished.
The game finished with Jamie George struggling to contain his emotions; overwhelmed by frustration and incredulity that a maul decision had gone against England as they mounted one last desperate raid in search of a draw. “There were a lot of bad decisions in that [one play],” George, the England captain, said.
But as George stalked around the field, shaking his head, there would have been a heavy dose of regret too. England had led 17-13 at the hour mark. They had responded to the concession of an early try to Mark Telea by scoring two of their own, each from a Marcus Smith cross-kick and finished brilliantly by Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Tommy Freeman. Maro Itoje was magnificent again. There is something about facing the All Blacks that always brings the very best out of him.
Steve Borthwick’s men then spent the entire third quarter in New Zealand territory but chiselled out only three points. From ten entries into the All Blacks 22 they averaged just 1.4 points. England are fiendishly hard to beat but they lack the killer instinct required to overhaul the leading teams in the world. In the cold light of day, they will recognise that was more costly than a sound refereeing decision at a late maul.
New Zealand’s 30-year undefeated record at their spiritual home stands intact because they took control in the final 20 minutes after the introduction of Beauden Barrett. The veteran full back changed the game here in Auckland, as he did in Dunedin a week ago, teeing up Telea for his second try of the game and running dangerously at a tiring England defence.
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It was almost inevitable that he would be at the heart of the dramatic denouement. England were convinced their maul was sacked illegally. They have a case. But Nic Berry, the referee, and his team of officials ruled it had been “successfully defended”.
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The maul being halted had led to Ollie Lawrence and George, who was behind him and in possession of the ball, sheering off down the short side. Lawrence drove into Cortez Ratima, the scrum half who was not part of the maul. George was soaked up short of the line in a tackle by Barrett, who had one arm around his neck.
After a long period of consultation and multiple replays, Berry awarded the truck-and-trailer penalty against Lawrence. “I think it is wrong,” George told BBC Sport. “If you are looking for infringements… the reason we had to go around the outside was because they had sacked a live maul in the middle.”
Relief swept around Eden Park. George stomped across the field. Lawrence fell to his haunches in despair, alone in his thoughts for a few seconds until team-mates walked over. So near, yet so far for England. Again.
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Yet there is much for England to take from these two enthralling Test matches against the All Blacks. Fin Baxter has made a really encouraging introduction to Test rugby. Two weeks ago, there were All Blacks who had never heard of Feyi-Waboso, Freeman or Chandler Cunningham-South. They know their names now. Respect has been earned in these parts, which is not easily done.
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The team’s character runs deep. They just need to find a way to close out these games — but that is the hardest step of all. England do not have a Test centurion like Barrett they can bring on to change the game. They finished with a raw back line featuring Marcus Smith at full back, Fin Smith at fly half and Ollie Sleightholme on the wing.
To see England faltering in that final quarter was not altogether surprising. Battered and bruised from the first Test, they could barely train on Tuesday. George Furbank failed to recover in time, denying England a pivotal man both in attack and defence.
The pattern of this game mirrored Dunedin. The All Blacks attacked hard at the breakdown. Itoje again dominated the lineouts, reinforcing the world-class reputation he has earned in these parts. And New Zealand’s scrum dominance earned them an attacking platform. England’s prop depth is their biggest concern.
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Ardie Savea held off five men with a monstrous carry and three quick rucks later England had run out of defenders, allowing Telea to steal down the blindside for the try. England struck back almost immediately with Marcus Smith launching a perfect kick to Feyi-Waboso, whose low-slung power carried him between Telea and McKenzie for his fourth try in six Tests.
England’s scramble defence is increasingly the hallmark of this team and it saved them a try when Freddie Steward, starting for Furbank, and Smith combined brilliantly to shut down Telea after McKenzie had sparked an All Blacks counterattack.
New Zealand ultimately left with a penalty from that foray, with Will Stuart again under pressure in the scrum, but it felt like a mini-win for England. Smith then caught the All Blacks unawares with a quick kick-off, triggering a long period of England pressure. Three times Lawrence was brought into the game but twice he dropped the ball in contact.
The All Blacks accepted another penalty shot at goal to extend their lead but George Martin snaffled the restart and the All Blacks were pinned in their own 22 until Smith, knowing he had an advantage, pulled the trigger on another cross-kick.
This time, Freeman caught the ball Australian rules-style above his head for the try. Smith, having missed two simple kicks in Dunedin, defied the catcalls to drill a tricky conversion and England led at half-time.
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They had the heart. They had the attitude. Would England have the legs for one last huge effort? The physicality was shuddering. Steward, playing his first game since May 19, was hit so hard in a tackle that he threw up on the field.
Smith extended England’s lead with a penalty after Dalton Papali’i had blocked Henry Slade’s route to the clear-out, a tactic that had gone unchecked in Dunedin. But the next big call went against England. Telea knocked on in the tackle when England had a two-man overlap but he was not penalised; a more grievous error than the late maul call.
Theo Dan, England’s replacement hooker, was knocked out making his first tackle, triggering an immediate return for George. Barrett came on for the All Blacks. His nous had been so influential in the first Test; and so it was again.
The All Blacks released that third-quarter pressure by stealing two lineouts and then struck immediately. Steward left a gap for Barrett, who put Telea away in the corner. Another finishing lesson for England. McKenzie kicked two penalties as New Zealand’s grip tightened on the game.
England go home frustrated at the missed opportunities but encouraged in equal measure. Their next mission? Exactly the one they would choose. The All Blacks at Twickenham in November. They have four months to stew on this and work out how to turn this series of narrow defeats into a statement victory.
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Scorers: New Zealand: Tries Telea (11min, 61). Con McKenzie. Pens McKenzie (21, 38, 69, 75). England: Tries Feyi-Waboso (14), Freeman (40+1). Cons Smith (2). Pen Smith (49).
New Zealand S Perofeta (B Barrett 50); S Reece, R Ioane (A Lienart-Brown 60), J Barrett, M Telea; D McKenzie, F Christie (C Ratima 54); E de Groot (O Tu’ungafasi), C Taylor (A Aumua 65), T Lomax (F Newell 55), S Barrett, P Tuipulotu (T Vaa’i 55), S Finau (L Jacobson 50), D Papali’i, A Savea.
England F Steward (M Smith 70); I Feyi-Waboso (O Sleightholme 69), H Slade, O Lawrence, T Freeman; M Smith (F Smith 63), A Mitchell; F Baxter (B Rodd 69), J George (T Dan 50; J George 50), W Stuart (D Cole 50), M Itoje, G Martin, C Cunningham-South (A Coles 63), S Underhill (T Curry 50), B Earl.
Referee N Berry (Aus).
