Owen Farrell and Manu Tuilagi explain England's response to the haka
Owen Farrell and Manu Tuilagi have explained England’s response to the haka moments before their crunch semi-final with New Zealand.
The men in white produced one of their greatest performances to end New Zealand’s bid for a third successive Rugby World Cup, outplaying the defending champions with an epic 19-7 semi-final win in Japan.
England dominated on Saturday from the outset, looked sharper, faster, stronger and more disciplined. The All Blacks had not lost a World Cup match since the 2007 quarter-finals but barely threatened.
The victory sweeps England into their fourth final and first since 2007. They will seek their second cup against South Africa or Wales after their 2003 victory and are still the only northern hemisphere country to triumph.
England scored after 90 seconds through centre Manu Tuilagi and built their lead through brilliant goalkicking by recalled flyhalf George Ford.
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New Zealand, who had won 15 of the teams’ past 16 meetings, managed only a gifted try to flanker Ardie Savea.
After defying officials and lining up against the haka in a V formation, England backed it up once the whistle had sounded with Tuilagi’s try after a sustained, high-paced assault that swept the width of the pitch.
Farrell explained that he felt England had couldn’t let the All Blacks just ‘come at’ them.
REACTION: @owen_faz on @englandrugby's position during the Haka #RWC2019 #ENGvNZL pic.twitter.com/jDlQwchlBp
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 26, 2019
“We knew we had to be within a radius behind them and we wanted to not just stand there and let them come at us. We wanted to keep a respectful distance but we didn’t just want to stand in a flat line and let them come at us.”
“The feeling’s calm. Going into the game, building up to it, we feel in control of what we’re doing and that comes from our preparation. The work that we put in in the week – you can’t fake that when you’re out there in a big test match. When they scored points today, we were the calmest we’ve been after that.”
Hansen casually asks the reporter outside. #ENGvNZL https://t.co/86odTbc0tQ
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 26, 2019
Manu Tuilagi described it as an honour to face the haka. “Everyone wanted to show that we were ready and together. It was something different that I think Eddie suggested. It was to show we were ready to accept the challenge against New Zealand and any game against them is tough particularly in a semi-final. You have to make all your tackles, use all the possession really well and we did that today.”
“For me it is an honour to stand in front of the haka and I watched it growing up as a kid and you want to do it yourself. To see them do it again, it is an unbelievable feeling. It is a challenge and you respect it and accept it.”
Hard-tackling Underhill chimed in, saying: “We know the haka is the New Zealand team laying down the challenge and we wanted to show in a small way that we were up for it.”
It was undoubtedly the biggest win of Eddie Jones’ tenure as @EnglandRugby head coach
– @alexshawsport rates the England players #ENGvNZL https://t.co/Vyfsov38Qe
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 26, 2019
All Blacks captain Kieran Read claimed the haka and its response had no effect on the game. “The haka had no impact on the game. They dominated the breakdown and we couldn’t work into our game and we were chasing. They did a good job. The boys really wanted it. You could see it in the first half, we conceded and we hung in there. It is pretty gutting when it doesn’t go your way.”
England set the template for the half, with dual playmakers Farrell and Ford full of speed and creativity. The All Blacks, who hardly ventured into England’s 22, would have been relieved to reach halftime only 10-0 down after Ford kicked a late penalty and an Underhill try was ruled out by the TMO.
Eddie Jones or Emilio Estevez #ENGvNZL pic.twitter.com/ch6R8FgXBY
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 26, 2019
The only previous time New Zealand had failed to score in the first half of a World Cup match was when they were beaten by Australia in the 1991 semis. A year ago, they came back from 15-0 down at Twickenham to triumph 16-15.
England piled on the pressure immediately in the second half, but suffered another TMO setback when Ben Youngs’ try was ruled out for a knock-on after six minutes.
A Ford penalty made it 13-0 as New Zealand continued to make rare mistakes. But they were invited back into the game when, for the first time, England’s lineout went wrong and Jamie George threw the ball straight into the arms of Savea, who fell over the line.
England hit back immediately after a huge hit on Jordie Barrett by Underhill forced a knock-on and, from the subsequent attack, New Zealand offended on their line again and Ford kicked another penalty to make it 16-7.
Ford, taking over kicking duties after Farrell had been hit hard in the first half, added another to give England breathing space and, led by the extraordinary Maro Itoje, they continued to tackle strongly as the All Blacks became desperate but ran out of time.
– AAP/additional reporting RugbyPass
WATCH: World Rugby’s highlights from the England versus New Zealand semi-final
Comments on RugbyPass
Don’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to comments