The All Blacks' dream of a Grand Slam victory was shattered at Twickenham, as England exposed their weaknesses in a stunning 33-19 win. This loss stings, especially as it was New Zealand's first defeat in southwest London since 2012 and their first against England since the 2019 World Cup semifinal.
Leading 12-0 in the first half, the All Blacks seemed poised for success. But their inability to capitalize on this advantage and adapt when the tide turned proved fatal. Despite the late withdrawal of lock Fabian Holland, the All Blacks dominated the set piece, stealing three English lineouts. However, England's determination and purpose were evident, and they responded with a vengeance.
England's comeback began with center Ollie Lawrence's powerful run, followed by George Ford's two dropped goals just before halftime. The All Blacks' momentum was further hindered by Beauden Barrett's missed touch kicks and Cam Roigard's ankle injury. The sin-binning of Codie Taylor, a controversial decision as he was unsighted, left the All Blacks vulnerable.
England seized the moment, capitalizing on the All Blacks' third-quarter struggles. Sam Underhill and Fraser Dingwall's converted tries extended England's lead to 25-12, leaving the All Blacks reeling. The visitors' woes were compounded by a passive performance from Barrett, who was later revealed to be carrying a leg injury.
A yellow card for England's Ben Earl gave the All Blacks a glimmer of hope, with Will Jordan scoring his 45th Test try. But England's resilience shone through, and Ford's penalty extended their lead. The All Blacks' lack of direction in the final stages was evident, and Tom Roebuck's try in the corner was the final nail in the coffin.
This loss will be a hard pill to swallow for the All Blacks, especially as they failed to achieve the Grand Slam. The backline leaders, including Barrett, Quinn Tupaea, and Billy Proctor, will face scrutiny for their inability to break down England's defense and their subpar kicking game. The pack's failure to dominate the breakdown will also be a talking point.
England's victory was well-deserved, but the All Blacks will rue this missed opportunity. The controversy around Taylor's sin-binning and the All Blacks' inability to adapt to adversity will spark debates. Was this a fair reflection of both teams' abilities, or did England simply capitalize on the All Blacks' bad luck and controversial decisions? The rugby world will surely have differing opinions.
