- Improved England overcome by All Blacks
- Gritty performance not enough to contain World number ones
The solidarity of Mark Cueto, flawless at full back beneath the high ball, typified England's significant improvement in the third and final match of the Investec Challenge Series at wet and windy Twickenham. After England twice took the lead in the match, New Zealand retained the Hillary Shield but were run close by a passionate English performance.
Richie McCaw, the All Blacks' captain, was the Investec Man of the Match, while England also had candidates in Cueto, Simon Shaw, Lewis Moody and James Haskell, all of whom made significant contributions in their own contrasting ways.
Physically, England took the game to their opponents with Shaw driving the hard yards, Moody typically competitive around the loose ball and Haskell adding thrust. Jonny Wilkinson was vigorous as always in the tackle zone but more midfield creativity was needed against the sternest and best organised defence in the global game.
All of the home side’s points came courtesy of Wilkinson’s boot, but a more incisive England threatened the line through Ugo Monye tackling Zac Guildford around the New Zealand 22 but knocking on in the act before heading to the line, while Tom Croft, a third minute replacement for Joe Worsley, was grounded just short of the corner after an electric run with six minutes remaining. Worsley was forced off with a twisted his right ankle.
Tough physicality
The pace of England's back row was a feature, long after the All Blacks had levelled the scores with the second of two penalty goals in four initial attempts. Kicking fly half Carter's first success made him New Zealand's all time leading points-scorer, overtaking Andrew Mehrtens, who amassed 967. Wilkinson had taken England ahead with a penalty goal after 17 minutes and restored the lead nine minutes later. All Black Mils Muliaina was closest to a first half try when hauled into touch at the corner by Monye and Croft when attempting to plunge over the line.
All Blacks' scrum half Jimmy Cowan scored the only try of the game, following an astute and hard-hitting blind side build up involving McCaw and Sitiveni Sivivatu after 58 minutes. Physicality at the breakdown remained one of England's strengths and they spurned kickable penalties in a wholehearted attempt to puncture the All Blacks' defensive wall. The tourists have yet to concede a try during three matches so far on their European tour.
England
1 Tim Payne (London Wasps), 2 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), 3 Duncan Bell (Bath Rugby), 4 Simon Shaw (London Wasps), 5 Steve Borthwick (Saracens) Captain, 6 Joe Worsley (London Wasps), 7 Lewis Moody (Leicester Tigers), 8 James Haskell (Stade Francais), 9 Paul Hodgson (London irish), 10, Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon), 11 Ugo Monye (Harlequins), 12, Ayoola Erinle (Biarritz Olympique), 13, Dan Hipkiss (Leicester Tigers), 14 Matt Banahan (Bath Rugby), 15 Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks), 16 Steve Thompson (CA Brive), 17, David Wilson (Bath Rugby), 18, Louis Deacon (Leicester Tigers), 19 Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers), 20 Danny Care (Harlequins), 21 Shane Geraghty (Northampton Saints), 22 Mathew Tait (Sale Sharks)
Penalty Goals: Wilkinson 2
Replacements: Worsley off for Croft (3mins), Hartley off for Thompson (49), Bell off for Wilson (50), Erinle off for Geraghty (63), Shaw off for Deacon (65), Payne off for Bell (64), Hodgson off for Care (70), Banahan off for Tait (72)
New Zealand
1 Tony Woodcock (North Harbour), 2 Andrew Hore (Taranaki), 3 Owen Franks (Canterbury), 4 Brad Thorn (Canterbury), 5 Tom Donnelly (Otago), 6 Adam Thomson (Otago), 7 Richie McCaw (Canterbury) Captain, 8 Kieran Read (Canterbury), 9 Jimmy Cowan (Southland), 10 Dan Carter (Canterbury), 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu (Waikato), 12 Ma'a Nonu (Wellington), 13 Conrad Smith (Wellington), 14 Zac Guildford (Hawke's Bay), 15 Mils Muliaina (Waikato), 16 Aled de Malmanche (Waikato), 17 John Afoa (Auckland), 18 Anthony Boric (North Harbour), 19 Jerome Kaino (Auckland), 20 Andy Ellis (Canterbury), 21 Stephen Donald (Waikato), 22 Tomati Ellison (Wellington)
Try: Cowan
Conversion: Carter
Penalty Goals: Carter 4
Replacements: Franks off for Afoa (59), Donnelly off for Boric (59), Thomson off for Kaino (59), Cowan off for Ellis (71)
Unused: De Malmanche, Donald, Ellison
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (SARU)
Assistant Referees; Alan Lewis (IRFU), Simon McDowell (IRFU)