The All Blacks may have been more relieved than ecstatic after sealing a 24-22 win over England at Twickenham, but if the champagne corks were being popped, the first glasses filled would have been those of the finishers, writes Scotty Stevenson.
There should have been no way back for the visitors. With twenty minutes to go in the Test, the English side had an opportunity to turn the screws and consign Scott Robertson’s side to a fourth loss of the season.
England had stayed in touch in the first half, heading to the break just two points in arrears, despite the fact they had not been able to cross the New Zealand line. They were the better team in the third quarter and the man pulling the strings was Marcus Smith.
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So why, oh why, would you sub the bloke? It is a decision that will haunt England Coach, Steve Borthwick. Smith had, in the ten or so minutes before he got the shepherd’s crook, kicked a 50-22, executed a perfect chip in behind the All Blacks line, from which Henry Slade almost scored, and converted a penalty chance to give England what should have been the perfect buffer to close out the match. Smith was flamboyant, dangerous, slippery and at times sublime, and was arguably having the kind of game that would make most ask, Owen who?
Ah, but who needs flamboyant when phlegmatic is the preferred national character setting? Smith was dragged and George Ford entered the match, essentially to kill the game. As the great England centre, Will Greenwood, lamented afterward: “You still have to give the impression you are going to play some rugby.”
England dragged their first-five and changed their halfback. How telling it was that Mark Tele'a’s game-levelling try in the 76th minute was the result of evading the tackles of both Harry Randall and Ford. England weren’t at sixes and sevens on the play, they were at twenty-twos and twenty-threes.
Borthwick’s high intensity defensive plan is taxing. The Red Roses pack looked largely up to the task in the opening half, putting big shots on the All Blacks’ runners as often as they could and dictating ruck speed with customary skill, aided and abetted by referee Angus Gardiner’s diplomatic style.
Playing with that level of intensity on one side of the ball is all well and good. When you have to do it on both, you require stratospheric fitness levels. You also need your bench to deliver. England’s did not. New Zealand’s did.
The All Blacks had to call on the reinforcements early. Codie Taylor – who has this season set the tone for the tight five – was replaced after just four minutes.
Asafo Aumua would play 76 minutes. He was damaging in the loose and on defence and despite a couple of second half lineout wobbles, which shouldn’t be laid solely at his feet, was immense. When England’s starting front rowers, Will Stuart, Jamie George and Ellis Genge, ran out of puff, their replacements tanked. Finn Baxter and Dan Cole were squared up by Pasilio Tosi and the remarkably consistent Ofa Tu’ungafasi, and the scrum penalties flowed for the All Blacks.
Hooker Theo Dan brought none of the breakdown intensity that his skipper had shown in the match. Tu’ungafasi is an unsung hero of the All Blacks. His true value to the side was revealed on Sunday morning in what was his 65th test appearance.
His fellow Aucklander, Patrick Tuipulotu: incredible.
In almost every instance, New Zealand’s bench outplayed the English. While Randall and Ford came to turn off the lights and lock the doors, Cam Roigard and Damian McKenzie were opening for business. Roigard brought huge presence to the ruck while McKenzie, who had originally replaced Tele'a and switched with Jordan, moved into the first five role for the injured Barrett.
Tele'a returned, McKenzie threw him the ball, and Tele'a did the rest. McKenzie’s conversion, from the sideline, to give New Zealand the lead, must be considered one of the great clutch kicks in modern All Blacks history.
So much of the chat around All Blacks selection centres on who starts, but this test at Twickenham once more proved international rugby is a 23-man game. There have been some great bench cameos this year, but this was an across-the-board bench masterclass. In almost every case, England’s reserves were outplayed by their opposites. The confidence that will give this squad as they steel themselves for another fiery encounter in Dublin cannot be underestimated.
Ardie Savea was magnanimous in the post-match, suggesting the All Blacks were a touch lucky to come away with the win. It is probably a fair assessment. However, while George Ford will have to deal with the personal pain of two missed opportunities to ice the win, he was not solely responsible for allowing the New Zealanders to climb back into the match. There are others in high numbers who let that ship sail.
It was the All Blacks bench at the helm.
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