No one expected it, but England managed to do what no other side has done in 2012 - defeat an All Blacks side rated as the greatest of all time.
Twickenham will not forget Saturday's stunning victory for a while, nor will any other nation forget it either.
When you go without beating the All Blacks for nine years, you're entitled to bask in the glory of that result knowing that it could be another nine years before it comes around again. Except that is exactly what England want to avoid.
Debating the norovirus factor is important because regardless of what Richie McCaw stated before the match, if nearly all of your squad have spent the week with a vomiting bug then of course you are going to be affected. At the same time, whilst the All Blacks pride is far too great to admit any form of fatigue, this was their 14th Test at the end of a long year.
Saturday's XV was the best they had to offer. Even if they were not fatigued and no longer sick, they would have felt so after watching Manu Tuilagi stroll towards the line.
Rarely have New Zealand looked so harried, wayward and exposed, but England made them appear that way. Regardless of the hysteria last weekend calling for the return of 39-year-old locks and the wisdom of Sir Clive, England had shown promise in defeat earlier in November and here it was fulfilled.
The whole forward effort was outstanding, but Tom Wood and Joe Launchbury in particular excelled. This was only Launchbury's second start in Tests, his fourth cap overall, yet the 21-year-old was everywhere and finished as England's top tackler on 14. It was a performance that firmly wrapped a Lions bolter tag around his neck and left you questioning just how good he can become.
Wood on the other hand spent the months during his long injury lay-off in 2012 dreaming about moments such as Saturday. The initial front-runner to be Stuart Lancaster's first captain, England value his work-rate and physicality very highly, and rightly so.
Two other 21-year-olds also left their mark on Twickenham. Owen Farrell had quite the week, with the starting shirt and IRB Player of the Year Nominee tag pinned to his back, but in the first half, apart from one wayward kick to touch, he was deadly. Four penalties and a drop-goal before the All Blacks' resurgence gave England a cushion. On a day when many expected him to buckle under the pressure, Farrell held firm.
If Tuilagi on the other hand felt the pressure of facing Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith, he didn't show it. His offload for Brad Barritt's crucial score had a hint of fortune, but the power and skill in breaking through tackles from McCaw, Dan Carter and Aaron Smith was all his own work. Breaks such as those are why people hold Tuilagi in such high regard. It was only right that he snapped up Kieran Read's loose pass for the interception.
England though must now build. Saturday's game will either be viewed in the future as a freak result in the legacy of the All Blacks or the foundation of English success.
Andy Farrell spoke about England converting the pressure from recent weeks into a performance, but that pressure will only increase having thumped the world champions and number one side. Tom Croft, Ben Foden, Dylan Hartley, Toby Flood and Courtney Lawes and many more are all hungry to return.
The Six Nations is now brilliantly poised. France will not let a 4th placed finish happen again. Champions Wales are bruised and ready to produce a backlash. Ireland are on a high after their masterclass against Argentina.
And now, England have the All Blacks' scalp in their back pocket for everyone to marvel at. How valuable it will prove to be will depend on success in the Six Nations. Roll on February.
by Ben Coles
@bencoles_
Comments
hurricanes_m8 says...
I agree that the All Blacks were up against rather average opposition this year. Ireland, South Africa, Wales and Australia were all pretty abysmal. The only team that really scared us was Argentina.
It's a joke to call the AB's the best team ever at the moment. We can only play 40 minutes of intense rugby.
Halftime score against Argentina: 6-5. The final score was 21-5.
Halftime score against South Africa: 12-16. The final score was 32-16.
Halftime score against Wales: 23-0. The final score was 33-10.
Halftime score against Italy: 13-7. The final score was 42-10.
Obviously the best team of 2012 but not ever.
The best team ever builds on a solid first half and follows through in the second half.
Fitness is a factor for a better second half so whats the excuse against Wales and Scotland?
Don't take away from England's win though, they beat the IRB Team of the Year.
Posted 10:32 07th December 2012
celticspirit says...
Good call Isograford, just what I would say, too. This AB team is obviously very good, but what made them look great was the comparatively poor opposition (unlike in the 80ies, 90ies and early 2000s, too). South Africa rebuilding, Australia injury-hit, Argentina new to the Championship, Ireland the visitors and then Scotland, Italy and a struggling Wales, well what do you expect.
So well done to England, but I wouldnt say it was against anything more than a really good but tired (for whatever reason) ABs team and therefore, while every victory over a SH team is special up here in the North, I wouldnt say it says too much for the future necessarily. Time will tell.
Posted 08:45 04th December 2012
Isograford says...
Yes well, the one of two New Zealand journalists who thought this was the best AB team of all time had clearly hit the sauce early this year. The late 80s and mid 90s team was better.
Hell, even last years team was better with Thorn, Kahui, SBW and the much missed Jerome Kaino in it.
Defeat has never hurt the All Blacks in the long run and most of us Kiwi's aren't actually all that upset or worried about this loss. The side has been playing fairly average all year really, so a defeat right at the end wasn't too surprising.
Posted 17:51 03rd December 2012
kybone says...
For me the danger now is that some will, wrongly, expect England to beat Scotland by 40 points in Feb. That may happen, but it probably won't. We need to stay grounded and just keep winning games. What we can't afford to do is what Wales seem to have done and start thinking about how good we're gonna be in a few years time and forget to concentrate on winning the next game. All i was hoping for out of this game was for the team to play well win lose or draw, and we did, so im happy.
Posted 17:26 03rd December 2012
NHsaints says...
Although the illness possibly did play a part NZ were quite entitled to change their squad around, with guys like Savea and Jane clearly still fit and well and players like Barrett, Taylor, Smith, Ellison, Crockett ect all waiting at home for a chance to play they could still have easily fielded a very strong side. The six nations is the big header now, and the big Lions decider...England, Ireland and France look titanic headed into this and Wales (although unpredictable) aren't unlikely to contend.
Posted 17:02 03rd December 2012
heart_of_oak says...
Before this game, I famously did a Guscott and said that if England lost by less than 30 points I would be surprised. I am now delighted to eat a hefty portion of humble pie.
But now that the euphoia has died down a bit, let's not forget just how good this All Blacks side is, how successful they've been, how consistent they are and how they've raised the bar for the rest of us.
They lost one game - that's it. I'm proud it was England that beat them and beat them well. But we have alot of improving to do while I think the All Blacks, in spite of this result, are the finished article and close to perfection.
Posted 13:54 03rd December 2012
LondonWasp says...
if we play poorly in our first game of the 6nations (scotland) the NZ victory will be for nothing. if all goes smoothly, the NZ game was a massive platform to which we can strive for consistancy and improved ability.
Posted 11:39 03rd December 2012
lawynd says...
As I've pointed out in another thread, teams touring Australia, South Africa and New Zealand in the NH summer are always derided (and rightly so) if they use fatigue as an excuse. England were in their twelth test of the year at the end of their season in South Africa, and fatigue was never alluded to as far as I'm aware. They were simply beaten by a better side on the day, as were the All Blacks. The illness probably did play a part though, as much as McCaw and others have downplayed it.
Posted 11:19 03rd December 2012
artherfish says...
This comming six nations could be one of the best in decades.It could also disapiont if recent NH form remains as fickle and as fleeting as it has in the past. its going to be a long two months waiting to find out.
Posted 11:02 03rd December 2012