They came to see Beaudy’s black magic – they left in awe of Brodie’s mastery of the dark arts. This will inevitably be remembered as the one New Zealand got away with but it would be an injustice to Brodie Retallick’s towering performance to say the TMO was the most influential figure at Twickenham.
For Retallick was a colossus for the All Blacks. They call him the Guzzler for his relentless appetite for work and he had his fill, inspiring New Zealand’s comeback from 15-0 down. He stole three lineouts, denying England the chance to capitalise on their second-half chances – Jamie George will have a few sleepless nights ahead – and ultimately it was the set-piece where this match was decided.
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Retallick was asked in the build-up if he could recall the 2012 defeat by England here. Considering it is one of only two Tests New Zealand have lost when he and Sam Whitelock have started together it was no surprise to hear it had not disappeared from memory. “I remember the feelings in the sheds wasn’t that great,” he recalled in his understated way. Bloodied but unbowed, he deserves all the plaudits coming his way on Saturday night.
Retallick was just as rattled as anyone, however, in the early stages – it was he who made a mess of the kick-off which soon led to Chris Ashton’s try – but for New Zealand to eke out this victory in the face of such pressure takes character and the 2014 world player of the year shouldered most of the burden. Not conditions for “razzle-dazzle rugby”, was Steve Hansen’s verdict but more telling was the All Blacks’ ability to settle themselves after such a breathless start from England.
How long they can keep getting away with it is the pertinent question, however. This was is in so many ways a completely different contest to their comeback against South Africa in Pretoria but such acts of escapism cannot go on forever and they cannot keep riding their luck.
And if Retallick’s was a vintage performance, Beauden Barrett’s was not. He had not started against England before and while he will afford himself a wry smile that it was his often maligned goal-kicking that won the day, this was not one for a scrapbook and it was not until Sonny Bill Williams was replaced by the ever-influential Ryan Crotty on the half-hour that Barrett settled into any kind of rhythm. Still, the embarrassment of being turned inside out by Sam Underhill late on was a fitting end to a pretty mediocre performance, even if the try was chalked off.
Indeed, in keeping with how uncharacteristic his display was, he scored his first ever drop goal in this, his 71st Test. Perhaps that, more than anything else, demonstrates just what a scrap New Zealand found themselves in. To come out the other side owes much to their extraordinary self-belief, plenty to England’s lack of composure late on, and a fair bit to luck. Play like this against Ireland on Saturday and they will not be so fortunate.
England denied by All Blacks and late decision in Twickenham thriller
But then, Dublin will be a totally different story, just as this match was so far removed from England’s fortuitous win over South Africa seven days earlier. Or rather, it was eerily similar, only in that England seemed to mirror precisely what the Springboks did. For they were on top from the off and would have been disappointed with the margin of their lead at half-time. Just like the Springboks their lineout went to pieces and they can count themselves mightily unlucky to come out the wrong side of a late TMO decision.
Indeed, the margin of their half-time lead – five points – really ought to have been more but here was another demonstration of how dangerous the All Blacks are in those few moments before and after the interval. To score 10 points with 39 minutes already on the clock was little short of remarkable considering what had gone before but it was entirely in keeping with why New Zealand are the world’s No 1 side.
Whether you perceive that as evidence the All Blacks are undergoing a prolonged wobble or as a first-class demonstration of their ability to adapt most probably depends on whether or not you wear black but New Zealand are by no means out of sight of the chasing pack with less than a year to go until the World Cup.