All Blacks hold out against gutsy England

Just over a week ago Julian Savea was lying in a Parisian hospital dealing with a lung infection that laid him low for the entire week.

Today he is the toast of his country as he produced a match-winning two-try turn for the All Blacks.

The 23-year-old 108kg wing scored a try in each half, and they were vital contributions as the All Blacks withstood a magnificent England challenge to prevail 30-22 at Twickenham and keep their quest alive for the perfect year.

The New Zealanders have now won all 13 of their tests for 2013, and need only to add Ireland to their list of victims in Dublin next Sunday to complete professional rugby’s first perfect year.

The match also well and truly answers last year’s shock defeat to the English on Twickenham – the only blot in the team’s copybook in two years under Steve Hansen – and marks the 100th test for master No 10 Dan Carter in fitting fashion.

Carter didn’t last much past the opening quarter before limping off with an injury, but he was all smiles at the end as his team-mates trudged off having achieved the most hard-earned of victories.

Savea was hugely influential, coming back from that illness that laid him low in Paris to produce a powerhouse performance with a try in each half. He now has a remarkable 18 tries in 19 tests. His second-half seven-pointer was a match-winning response after England had taken the lead as the contest ticked into its final quarter.

No 8 Kieran Read also had a big game for the All Blacks, despite being sinbinned late in the first half, while there were plenty of other heroes wearing back as they had to dig very deep indeed to get home in front of a loud and very hopeful full house of 81,739.

The New Zealand forwards battled till the end, and their disruption at lineout time proved particularly crucial. Aaron Cruden came on to replace Carter and held his nerve well, while Ma’a Nonu’s direct running and Israel Dagg’s poise at the back were also crucial. Charles Piutau also showed some nice touches as he became more prominent as the game wore on.

England gave it plenty. That much must be acknowledged. Behind a committed pack, Billy Twelvetrees and Joel Tomkins ran hard in midfield and Owen Farrell’s kicking game was spot-on. Big No 8 Billy Vunipola also had a strong game before being subbed in the second half.

A riveting first 40 minutes ended with the All Blacks leading 20-16, but having well and truly lost the momentum from a 17-3 lead inside the opening quarter. From there a resurgent home side went on a 13-3 run to well and truly work their way back into the contest. The New Zealanders also lost centurion Carter to injury after just 25 minutes.

The All Blacks had made the dream start when fit-again wing Savea, showing no signs of his French illness, crossed for his 17th try in just 19 tests not even two minutes into the fray.

Nonu’s well-weighted grubber had set up a 5m lineout, and from there it was all Read, the supreme All Black through this magnificent season. The No 8 first scooped up an unpromising ball at his feet on the left touchline, then as he was wrapped up by a mass of English humanity he slipped another of those underhand offloads that have rather become his speciality. Savea, slipping beautifully noff his wing, did the rest for the 7-0 lead.

It was that man Read again a quarter of an hour later after Carter and Farrell had traded penalties. This time the skill came from a peach of a short ball from Brodie Retallick that put Owen Franks down the inside track, and from there quick ball and a nicely judged pass from Dagg put the No 8 over wide on the right. At 17-3 the floodgates were straining.

To their credit England found the necessary resistance, just when they had to.

For five long minutes they camped down in the All Blacks’ defensive zone, and three short lineouts and two five-metre scrums eventually netted a slightly fortunate try to lock Joe Launchbury. Ball had popped out of a messy scrum, but when Read was unable to gather this time at his feet, Launchbury, er, launched for the gift seven-pointer.

England were now back, and playing with belief and no little skill. Carter hobbled off, and soon after Read followed him into the bin after one ruck infringement too many. Two more Farrell penalties and the sellout crowd were echoing “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” around the rafters of this massive stadium, as the two teams went into the sheds with the match well and truly in the balance.

Two more Farrell penalties put England into the lead, 22-20, just as the third quarter ticked over, and the All Blacks were teetering on the brink. Their perfect season required a response, and it duly came from Savea.

England had made a mess of a defensive lineout round the 64th minute, and the All Blacks made them pay. First Charles Piutau, coming nicely into the game over the run home, went close in the right corner, and then when ball was shifted left Nonu’s pop pass gave Savea just enough space to power over and ground in the tackle.

At 27-22 the New Zealanders were back in the driver’s seat, and a second Cruden penalty soon after gave them the all-important eight-point cushion as the match crept inside the final 10 minutes.

From there itw as just too much to do for England and the All Balcks finished the match camped inside the half playing safety-first rugby. This was really all about the win on a very, very competitive day of test rugby.

All Blacks 30 (Julian Savea 2, Kieran Read tries Daniel Carter 2, Aaron Cruden cons Cruden 2, Carter pens)England 22 (Joe Launchbury try Owen Farrell con 5 pens) at Twickenham. Referee: Craig Joubert

– © Fairfax NZ News