Dalton Papali'i tries to fend off Henry Slade. Photo / Photosport
Dalton Papali'i tries to fend off Henry Slade. Photo / Photosport
How the world media reacted to the All Blacks’ 24-17 victory over England at Auckland’s Eden Park on Saturday.
All Blacks extinguished English hopes
By Chris Foy, Daily Mail
Agony, again. England’s bid to become record-breakers at Eden Park was scuppered as Mark Tele’a’s second try averted the threat of a momentous upset.
Just as they had in the first test seven days earlier, Steve Borthwick’s national team led their vaunted opponents midway through the second half. And in a repeat of the cruel script from the series opener in Dunedin, where it finished 16-15, the All Blacks extinguished English hopes.
The tourists had been desperate to make history by becoming the first visiting team to successfully storm the fortress of Kiwi rugby since France won here way back in 1994. The All Blacks’ subsequent 48 tests at Eden Park had yielded 46 wins and just two draws. No challengers had conquered them, but England came mighty close this time.
Barrett ignites off the bench
Irish Times
Marcus Smith admitted England had allowed another glorious opportunity to topple New Zealand slip away in a 24-17 defeat at Eden Park.
Tries by Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Tommy Freeman, set up by kicks from Smith, helped Steve Borthwick’s men build a 17-13 lead heading into the final quarter, but the arrival of Beauden Barrett off the bench ignited the All Blacks.
England dominated territory and possession in the third quarter but could not engineer the points needed to put the All Blacks away at a point in the game when they were struggling for composure.
The tourists will look back on George Martin giving away a needless free-kick at a lineout and Jamie George fumbling as an attack gathered pace – both close to the whitewash – as key moments.
England earn All Blacks’ respect
By Robert Kitson, the Guardian
England’s mission on the eve of this test series was to update a few perceptions in New Zealand. They wanted the All Blacks “to know who we are” and to rid themselves of a shedload of historical baggage.
On a rousing night in Auckland, they again earned their opponents’ respect but could not quite become the first side in 30 years to storm their hosts’ supposedly impregnable fortress.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Henry Slade celebrate against the All Blacks. Photo / Photosport
There will be other days, not least when New Zealand come to Twickenham this November. But for the second week running, they were unable to cling on to a promising lead, failing to apply the coup de grace from 17-13 ahead as the All Blacks completed a 2-0 series win to extend England’s winless record in New Zealand since 2003.
All Blacks’ bench come to the rescue
By James White, PlanetRugby
A breathtaking test match that went right down to the last play saw New Zealand maintain their Eden Park record as they took the spoils 24-17 in a brutal yet thrilling clash.
With two tries apiece and a kick battle of epic proportions, the All Blacks’ bench impact – in particular the brilliant Beauden Barrett and the formidable frame of Fletcher Newell – just took the game away from the visitors.
Barrett’s inclusion allowed New Zealand to find the extra gear to get around England as he made the extra distributor to finally break the heroic rush defence from their opponents.
The lead changed hands four times as both teams threw everything at each other in a titanic set-piece and breakdown battle that, on balance, New Zealand shaded by the smallest of margins.
When pressure comes, so errors combine and whilst England can be mightily proud of their display, the last quarter saw their discipline crumble as the All Blacks dug to the depth of their experience to play in the right areas and to maintain legal brutality at the breakdown.
England earn All Blacks’ respect
By Gavin Mairs, The Telegraph
The cold, hard facts state that England lost this test series 2-0, but Steve Borthwick’s side won something that few of their predecessors have managed in New Zealand: respect.
More than that, they will return home on Monday with a newly established reputation as potentially one of the most exciting England sides we have seen in years.
And, yet, for a second Saturday, England faced the uncomfortable truth that victory had slipped through their fingers. It is a mark of the substantial progress England have made since their error-ridden defeat by Scotland in February that they will return home also thinking “what if”.
At the end of a season that began 13 months ago, the players understandably cannot wait to fly home on Monday, but yet there is also a sense that they cannot wait for the chance to take on New Zealand again at Twickenham in November.
All Blacks’ second straight escape
By Liam Napier, NZ Herald
Scott Robertson’s era continues with the All Blacks pitching themselves as the great escape artists.
Two weeks in a row, the All Blacks fumbled and bumbled their lines before summoning a spark – this time in the form of Beauden Barrett – to snatch a comeback victory.
Their series sweep over a spirited English side is the first notable notch on Robertson’s belt but it was not achieved without fractures or multiple heart palpitations.
At the start of this tenure, Robertson’s All Blacks, having banked two wins against Steve Borthwick’s tourists, will be afforded the benefit of the doubt. Two weeks is, after all, limited time to produce compelling cohesion.
Much more, though, will be demanded in the coming weeks. Comfort is clearly a long way off yet. The All Blacks will be better with time together but they need to be.
Robertson’s All Blacks need more than resilience
By Gregor Paul, NZ Herald
While the All Blacks may continue to hide any strong sense of strategic identity, two games into the 2024 season, their character, desire and willingness to fight to the death has been in full view.
Mark Tele’a scores a try to put the All Blacks ahead of England. Photo / Photosport
Once again, this All Blacks side showed themselves to be an old-school fighter – a tough, wizened campaigner, capable of absorbing relentless punishment and yet able to bounce off the ropes and land the knockout blows.
Resilience is by no means a bad quality to have, but it shouldn’t be the only quality.
And it can’t, not if the victories are to keep coming through a long and arduous year, be the only means by which to define the All Blacks.
They need more than guts and determination to win tests and, just as importantly, to win hearts and minds and there is no sense of this All Blacks team being sure of who they are and how they want to play.
