So near and yet so far. England have not won in Auckland for 40 years and for long stretches one of the more stunning of modern outcomes looked entirely possible. Until Conrad Smith’s 78th-minute try broke English hearts, the All Blacks were as ordinary as world champions playing at their favourite venue can be. On this evidence, the series is very much alive.
But, goodness, England will kick themselves all the way back home if this is as close as they come to a Test win on this tour. They could have scored three or four tries in the first half and were still threatening in the New Zealand half with 10 minutes remaining until the ball slipped from the horrified grasp of the scrum-half Ben Youngs. Down the other end surged New Zealand, a desperate Marland Yarde was sent to the sin-bin for not releasing the tackled Brodie Retallick and the remaining 14 England players were left staring down the twin barrels of disillusion.
Even then they were close to securing a draw, a cool-headed penalty from Danny Cipriani levelling the scores at 15-15 with six minutes left.
Fatally, Joe Marler was left isolated in midfield by a hasty pass off the floor from his fellow prop Henry Thomas and the All Blacks, presented with a prime field position, smelt English blood. In the end it was swift thinking and a gambler’s instinct which won the game after Wyatt Crockett had been held just short. Rather than kicking a penalty goal which half of New Zealand was screaming for, the fly-half Aaron Cruden opted instead for an unorthodox quick tap-and-go. His hunch was rewarded when smart hands from Ben Smith worked his namesake over in the right corner for the only try of a taut, tight night.
It was the roughest of rewards for Stuart Lancaster’s coaching staff and players, with Ben Morgan outstanding at No8 and the Bath pair of Rob Webber and Kyle Eastmond performing like seasoned internationals. James Haskell, Manu Tuilagi, Chris Robshaw and Freddie Burns also shone and, in terms of set-piece consistency, New Zealand finished a clear second. The visitors, however, received few favours from referee Nigel Owens, who, among other things, twice spotted knock-ons where none seemed to exist.
New Zealand will be confident of playing substantially better next week but how about England, with a dozen Saracens and Northampton players now available to join the fray? If nothing else selection for the second Test will be a fascinating exercise, with England’s priority being to find ways of finishing off the chances they create. Perhaps the most frustrating instance arrived within the first couple of minutes, Robshaw bursting clear from a midfield ruck only for the supporting Haskell to be dragged back off the ball by Ma’a Nonu. Had the Wasps’ flanker not been impeded a try would almost certainly have resulted and Nonu was fortunate not to receive a yellow card.
If Mike Brown had clung on to a pass from Robshaw following another purposeful first-quarter attack the All Black line would certainly have been breached. The only real alarm at the other end came when Tuilagi just reached a kick-ahead in front of the rapid Israel Dagg. For the most part, with Geoff Parling disrupting the lineout and Haskell and Morgan throwing their weight around, the world champions looked rusty and ill at ease. At times the ball appeared to be greased with Kiwi butter, so often did it slither from the home side’s grasp.
The atmosphere was distinctly muted, too. In the first-half, in particular, it was quieter than an empty library in Palmerston North as the All Black faithful contemplated the untypical scene in front of them. Even the great Richie McCaw was largely anonymous, seemingly missing his injured mate Kieran Read alongside him, and England’s 9-3 lead after 22 minutes, courtesy of three sweetly-struck Burns penalties, was fully deserved.
New Zealand’s concern was etched on their faces. Morgan produced one storming run out of his 22, steamrolling over Aaron Smith, and the lively Eastmond burst clear up the centre of the field, eating up more attacking metres. At no stage did the home side lead until the game was entering its final 10 minutes, and then only courtesy of the costliest of English fumbles. Youngs will not want to watch the replay of the spill which allowed Retallick to sprint 50 metres upfield and the repercussions proved highly significant. Yarde was quite rightly binned for preventing the ball’s speedy release and the momentum of the game shifted decisively.
The bigger picture, though, is encouraging for England. To run the world champions so close with a side lacking regulars such as Courtney Lawes, Dylan Hartley, Tom Wood, Owen Farrell and Luther Burrell suggests there is indeed growing depth to the English game. They look happy, well-coached and increasingly convinced they can achieve something special in the longer term. Had the fixture schedulers not left Lancaster in such an unenviable position by staging this game so soon after the Premiership final, the All Blacks 15th successive Test win would almost certainly not have materialised.
Then again, Dan Carter is on sabbatical and in the final quarter of matches England are still not quite nailing down coffin lids with an undertaker’s reliability. They could definitely do with Danny Care returning at scrum-half but, when supposed fringe players such as Eastmond, Burns and Webber slot in as confidently as they did here, they are undoubtedly a side heading in the right direction. If they can drag the All Blacks to the brink in Auckland, they need have no fear of playing anywhere.
It certainly sets up the second Test beautifully. New Zealand already know they are in for a serious contest beneath the fixed roof of the Forsyth Barr stadium in Dunedin, their traditional aura no longer a guaranteed deterrent. England may have beaten the All Blacks just seven times in their history but an eighth success does not feel far away.
New Zealand Dagg (Crusaders; Barrett (Hurricanes, 54); B Smith (Highlanders), C Smith (Hurricanes), Nonu (Blues; Fekitoa (Highlanders, 60), Jane (Hurricanes); Cruden (Chiefs), A Smith (Highlanders; Perenara (Hurricanes, 70); Woodcock (Blues; Crockett (Crusaders, 60), Coles (Hurricanes; Mealamu (Blues, 60), Franks (Crusaders; Faumuina (Blues, 54), Retallick (Chiefs), Whitelock (Crusaders), Messam (Chiefs; Vito (Hurricanes, 71), McCaw (Crusaders, capt), Kaino (Blues).
Try C Smith. Pens Cruden 5.
England Brown (Harlequins); Yarde (Harlequins), Tuilagi (Leicester), Eastmond (Bath), May (Gloucester; Pennell (Worcester, 79); Burns (Leicester; Cipriani (Sale Sharks, 72), B Youngs (Leicester; Dickson (Northampton, 79); Marler (Harlequins), Webber (Bath; Gray (Harlequins, 70), Wilson (Bath; Thomas (Bath, 70), Launchbury (London Wasps; Attwood (Bath, 70), Parling (Leicester), Haskell (London Wasps; Johnson (Exeter Chiefs, 70), Robshaw (Harlequins (capt), Morgan (Gloucester).
Pens Burns 4, Cipriani.
Referee: N Owens (Wales). Att 47,195.
