New Zealand do not lose many matches, even fewer when Brodie Retallick plays. The second-row has been on the beaten team in the black jersey only once since August 2015, against the Lions last year, and was hugely influential as the World Cup holders overcame an early 15-point deficit and torrential rain that hampered their running game to win another compelling Test here that was decided by a point.
England held on against the Springboks the previous weekend after a review decision went their way, the legitimacy of Owen Farrell’s challenge on André Esterhuizen, but the victory against the All Blacks – that would have been in their grasp had Sam Underhill’s try five minutes from time been allowed – was denied when the South African television match official, Marius Jonker, ruled that Courtney Lawes had been offside at a ruck before charging down TJ Perenara’s kick.
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Underhill had picked up the ball and wrong-footed Beauden Barrett to somehow cover the 40 metres to the line at the end of a match in which he had been a pivotal figure, but as the crowd celebrated, the referee Jérôme Garcès asked Jonker to look at whether Lawes had been onside. Under a new World Rugby directive, referees are encouraged to make decisions, not hide behind TMOs, but here Jonker was asked to rule, directing that Lawes had been in front of England’s hindmost player at the ruck, Harry Williams.
It was a marginal call, but England had a final opportunity when New Zealand, not for the first time, coughed up possession and launched an attack. As Owen Farrell, who had kicked a drop goal early in the first half, manoeuvred himself into position for another attempt, his team looked to attack down the right rather than stay narrow. Lawes threw an overhead pass to Henry Slade who was unable to find his target and the All Blacks held on to the lead they had secured with 21 minutes to go.
The Lawes call was a significant moment – as was the abortive, last attack and Farrell’s call, twice, to kick a penalty into touch 10 minutes into the second half and drive a lineout. Retallick had by then started to take control of the lineout, but the second set piece came to nothing when Kyle Sinckler knocked-on in contact as a team that had been in control in the opening 30 minutes became hustled out of their stride.
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England’s co-captain Dylan Hartley, the scorer of their second try, was replaced at half-time by Jamie George. It led to speculation that the hooker’s England career would not extend to the World Cup but it emerged he had been struggling all week with a thumb injury and that the replacement was not tactical. It would have been strange had it been, given England’s effectiveness at the lineout on New Zealand’s throw in the opening half, putting pressure on their jumpers for Hartley at the back to snaffle scraps.
England lost five lineouts in the second half, Retallick stealing three. The All Blacks brought on a second-row, Scott Barrett, for a back-rower 11 minutes into the second half, putting pressure on George on a day when towels were not going to be able to keep the ball completely dry. It was typical New Zealand, turning one of their opponents’ strengths into a source of strife.
It had been different for Retallick at the start. He fumbled the kick-off and the next time New Zealand took possession they were taking a restart. England forced their way upfield and used a scrum to take play through seven passes before Ben Youngs’ long pass found Chris Ashton free on the right in the wing’s first Test start since he faced New Zealand four years ago.
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England achieved width in the opening quarter with New Zealand expecting their attacks to be narrower and such was the speed of England’s defence, organised by the former All Blacks’ coach John Mitchell, that it was the visitors who found themselves compressed and squeezed on an afternoon when the conditions made handling hazardous and betrayed an uncertainty that England, whose tactics, like Ireland under Joe Schmidt, had been to go for New Zealand early, exploited.
Farrell’s drop goal was followed by a long touch-finder by Elliot Daly after a penalty. Maro Itoje caught the throw and England immediately set off on the 15 metres to New Zealand’s line. They did not drive sideways but at an angle, which made the maul harder to defend. As Hartley secured the ball at the back, the All Blacks started to splinter, at which point four backs joined in and England were in dreamland, 15 points ahead.
When Sonny Bill Williams was replaced on the half-hour with a shoulder injury, New Zealand’s day looked like getting longer but his replacement, Ryan Crotty, proved the catalyst his side had been looking for.
Crotty helped his side on to the front foot and when he supported Jack Goodhue’s break, taking play into England’s 22 towards the end of the first half, it gave the All Blacks their first attacking foothold. They opted for a scrum after a penalty award and when three players had been held up short, Beauden Barrett’s inside pass allowed Damian McKenzie to be sent in between Farrell and Ben Te’o.
New Zealand had scored at least four tries in their previous 12 games, but it was their only one of the afternoon. Barrett’s first Test drop goal trimmed England’s lead to five points and the fly-half’s penalties on 45 and 59 minutes were their only scores of the second period. Underhill’s disallowed try gave England a focus of discontent, but they were not quite cute enough, hardly surprising given the players they had missing and who they were playing.