Stunner... England dethrone New Zealand with one of their greatest-ever displays
England produced one of their greatest-ever displays to storm into the World Cup final with a 19-7 victory over New Zealand that reduced the reigning champions to a rabble. From the moment Manu Tuilagi crossed after 97 seconds an extraordinary match beckoned and the final scoreline did little justice to the domination of Eddie Jones’ men, who were superior in every single facet of the game.
New Zealand had won their previous 18 World Cup matches dating back to 2007 but at International Stadium Yokohama they were flattened by a juggernaut led by the unstoppable Maro Itoje. England will face either South Africa or Wales in next Saturday’s final and having crushed the odds-on favourites to win the Webb Ellis Trophy, they will be expected to repeat their solitary triumph of 2003.
Everywhere across the pitch they won significant battles, Itoje supported by brilliant flankers Tom Curry and Sam Underhill who carried the fight to feared opponents right from the start. New Zealand’s selection of lock Scott Barrett as an additional lineout jumper at six backfired as they were demolished at the set-piece to the point that Sam Cane, a recognised flanker, was brought on at half-time.
The withdrawal of Barrett was a stark admission by Steve Hansen that his tactics were misjudged but by the time Cane arrived it was too late, the ascendency at the breakdown of Curry and Underhill was complete. It is hard to recall the All Blacks ever being made to look so ordinary as they searched in vain for the inspiration that would save them from disaster and the fightback never came.
Midway through the first-half Owen Farrell began limping and despite being beckoned for an examination by the team doctor, he battled on and even sprinted out for the second half. Having converted Tuilagi’s try, Farrell’s only sacrifice was to give up the kicking duties to fly-half George Ford who proceeded to land four penalties to match his brilliance as ringmaster.
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Casting shadows over the win were injuries to wing Jonny May and Kyle Sinckler that place them in doubt for the final at the same venue, while Farrell will surely be looked at closely. England faced the arrowhead formation of the haka with a V-shape and the act of defiance – led by a pumped-up Joe Marler – was followed by an extraordinary start that saw them cross almost immediately.
Elliot Daly launched the attack with a dart down the right and several phases later, after clever offloads by Courtney Lawes and Sinckler, a huge hole had opened up in the All Blacks defence to enable Tuilagi to grab and score. England might have had a second shortly after when Tuilagi read an attack to begin a counter that ended when May was unable to find Farrell with the line beckoning.
The opening quarter was played at breakneck speed with the rivals taking it in turns to stage blistering attacks, but overall New Zealand were struggling to hold back the white tide. Up front, they were being pummelled as Courtney Lawes pinched their line-out ball and Itoje plundered a maul turnover.
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England thought they were over in the 24th minute but were pulled back for crossing and in response, the All Blacks stepped up a gear, Brodie Retallick forcing a gap that would have resulted in a try but for a poor final pass. A scrum penalty was the prelude to another spell of English domination that continued with two breakdown penalties as New Zealand struggled to escape the vice-like grip of the underdogs.
Farrell’s obvious discomfort meant Ford kicked a penalty to extend the lead to 10-0 at half-time and there was no let-up as England exploded out of the blocks for the second half. A second try was disallowed for the ball being moved forward at a maul just before Ben Youngs slipped through a gap, but a Ford penalty at least rewarded yet another visit to the 22.
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May and Sinckler had limped off by now, victims of the punishing intensity, and suddenly New Zealand upped the tempo with Sevu Reece only being kept out by a double tackle by Henry Slade and Tuilagi. Disaster struck for England at the ensuing line-out as Jamie George missed Itoje completely with his throw, instead finding Ardie Savea who scored one of the easiest tries of his life.
The response from the 2003 champions was emphatic as they blitzed their way downfield, winning a penalty for Ford to send between the uprights. A sign of New Zealand’s frustration came when Sam Whitelock shoved Farrell in the head, reversing a penalty and when Ford sent his fourth kick between the uprights their World Cup was over.
England finished with their bench on the pitch yet still steamrollering the disillusioned black shirts as they sealed their fourth appearance in the World Cup final.
– Press Association
WATCH: How Jim Hamilton previewed the England versus New Zealand semi-final on Don’t Mess With Jim
Comments on RugbyPass
Good to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
16 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
16 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
16 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
16 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
16 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
16 Go to comments