New Zealand 24-17 England: second men’s rugby union Test – live | Rugby union
Key events
England head coach Steve Borthwick told Sky: “I think the team is progressing, we have work to do to get where we want to be but we are moving forward. If you look at the game and you look at the two teams and you can’t buy experience.”
Marcus Smith told Sky Sports: “I want to say firstly all credit to the boys, this last five weeks I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know these boys on and off the field. For me it is the small moments, Eden Park is a historic place. We had a lot of belief this week we could go something special… When they are ahead they are a very successful team and so it is hard to wrestle momentum back.”
Does Beauden Barrett start next week against Fiji? I don’t think he will as I think Scott Robertson will want to give Stephen Perofeta more game time but he has more than proved to be the pivotal factor in this All Blacks team.
New Zealand captain Scott Barrett said: “I think Test matches challenge your character. We had to dig deep there. I think it is adapting in game, what works at the start doesn’t work at the end. I guess you are never comfortable in this environment and we are looking to build on these performances.” The trophy has been lifted and New Zealand’s record remain in place.
There is a trophy presentation for the Test series. England captain Jamie George speaks first: “I spoke earlier in the week about the journey this team has been on, we are a significantly different team. We will welcome them back to Twickenham later on this year. I love New Zealand, it is an incredible country to come and tour. Huge congratulations to the All Blacks, a big congrats to Scott.”
England’s Maro Itoje, who had a great game despite giving away a few penalties, told Sky Sports: “The second half we weren’t as accurate as we wanted to be, we gave away a few too many penalties. We gave them easy points and territory. I think we weren’t accurate, we gave their backfield opportunities. It’s tough, I think we have showed some improvements but not good enough today.”
England will feel hard done by there, if the obstruction penalty is not given there would be a goal line drop out and England may have had another opportunity to level the game. But Berry saw Lawrence’s bind with George as obstruction and so New Zealand win.
The tide was firmly turned when Beauden Barrett came on. He was absolutely heroic, not only in attack but in defence. He was their spark and got underneath the ball at the end as George looked to pounce. Fletcher Newell was also impressive.
Full time: New Zealand 24-17 England
The Eden Park record remains.
81 min: Berry tells George he “doesn’t want to argue about it”, the referee views it as a penalty to New Zealand with Lawrence obstructing. George looks fuming.
81 min: They check the maul collapse and they have a look to see if Lawrence is the cause or if it is the All Blacks who change their binds? You can hear George petitioning the referee but the maul is successfully defended by New Zealand according to the TMO. But Berry wants another look, “to get it right”.
81 min: Line-out is good. They go for a maul. The backs pile in and they march to the line. They think they are over but it is held up but B Barrett. The officials will make sure it wasn’t grounded and on how the maul was collapsed.
80 min: England have a penalty advantage as they come forward again which we come back to. They go to the corner, can England level this game?
79 min: The line-out is good and they opt to go through the hands instead of the maul. The breakdown work from the hosts is impeccable and they turn it over, that is absolutely massive.
78 min: England’s line-out is good and if it isn’t now it might not happen. Sleightholme is now on and makes a storming run, in the attack Curry is tackled off the ball and so F Smith kicks to the corner. Oh my, this could get tasty.
77 min: England have to be the next to score and B Barrett clears to give the visitors possession. Slade opts to the boot and McKenzie picks it up to kick clear – maybe the wrong option from Slade.
PENALTY! New Zealand 24-17 England (McKenzie, 75)
It’s good and it’s a mountain for England to climb now.
75 min: The line-out is taken cleanly by New Zealand and then they win a penalty as Itoje makes contact in the air – the third penalty from the Saracens player now. New Zealand point to the sticks.
74 min: The referee calls time off as the scrum collapses, he has moved the scrum over as all the players are slipping on the grass. Time back on and New Zealand win the scrum penalty as the hosts start to turn the screw here.
73 min: The breakdown has been a card in New Zealand’s hand all match but this time it is England who play it and they get a penalty. The visitors have a scrum but the referee resets and has a word with both front rows.
71 min: Baxter is off for England with Rodd on. Itoje’s tackle is too high and New Zealand have the penalty, they kick up to halfway. I cannot overstate just how critical B Barrett’s introduction has been. Steward is off for a HIA here, that call made by medical officials looking on and so M Smith is back on the pitch.
PENALTY! New Zealand 21-17 England (McKenzie, 69)
The kick is good and now it is England with the work to do.
69 min: The screams from the crowd are deafening, Eden Park is pulsing and it erupts even further with a breakdown penalty for the All Blacks. I believe they are pointing to the sticks.
67 min: So England have another chance to hit back as their line-out functions once more. Lawrence looks to chip through but it is B Barrett again who picks up, kicks on and is just millimetres from picking it up. It gives the All Blacks another boost, they look lethal right now.
66 min: England’s line-out is good and they look to put themselves ahead again in this absolute thriller. F Smith, who is now on for M Smith, puts a kick through but it is picked up perfectly by B Barrett who clears.
64 min: B Barrett’s reaction to being benched by new head coach Scott Robertson has been the exact one you would want from a top player. Just absolutely electric when given his minutes. New Zealand are really in the ascendency here but then B Barrett puts a step wrong with a kick out on the full. What a game.
TRY! New Zealand 18-17 England (Tele’a, 61)
Oh wow.
The ball comes to B Barrett who makes incredible metres, he has been the exact spark the All Blacks needed, and he offloads to Tele’a who is over. A huge moment in this close encounter. McKenzie misses the conversion.
61 min: George apologises as he throws before the referee calls time on. We reset and George goes short to win the set piece, Mitchell clears a few phases later.
60 min: B Barrett is on now and he immediately makes an impact with a chop tackle on Steward giving them attacking momentum. B Barrett pops a grubber kick in and it rolls just a few metres from their try line, the experienced back giving his side the boost they needed.
59 min: J Barrett does so well under the high ball and Ratima’s exit is good – New Zealand are doing well to prevent England adding to the scoreboard as they have had all of the momentum in this second half.
58 min: England win a penalty at the scrum, the set pieces are topsy turvy now! Smith kicks to the corner and my word he squeezes all the possible space from it. It puts pressure on New Zealand’s line-out but England waste the opportunity by giving away a penalty, J Barrett clears.
56 min: This time it is England’s turn to have a line-out issue with New Zealand coming away with it but it’s intercepted, Tele’a thinks he has nabbed it right back but the referee blows up for an earlier pen. Eden Park had erupted then thinking the winger was going to run clear.
55 min: New Zealand’s line-out is disrupted yet again, Taylor is having a nightmare at the set piece, but they do manage to retain the ball and clear.
54 min: Christie is coming off and Ratima is on for his first cap, a great moment for the New Zealander at Eden Park. England have the scrum and it is clean, Smith opts for the cross field kick but this time it bounces out of play.
54 min: The line-out is good but again, the resulting attack is slightly sloppy. Steward finds Feyi-Waboso but his offload finds All Black hands. We come back to an earlier knock on from New Zealand, so we have another scrum. A slight break in play as Christie has a problem here.
53 min: New Zealand run it through the hands but great work from Cunningham-South sees them able to clear. Reece collects and kicks it off but he has taken it back into the 22 and so England have a line-out in a good position.
52 min: The scrum is won by New Zealand and they set up an attack.
Richard Hirst has emailed and he said:
Cricket on Friday, rugby on Saturday, football on Sunday! Hey, dreaming is free.
Not a bad weekend to be an England fan, Richard.