All Blacks edge out England in dramatic finale

 

New Zealand gave England a tough start to their autumn series, with Mark Tele’a returning from the bench to score a pivotal try in the 76th minute, keeping the All Blacks' dominance intact. England’s narrow loss mirrored their July encounters with New Zealand, as George Ford’s final drop-goal attempt drifted wide, following an earlier missed penalty that had hit the post.

In the first half, England found themselves on the defensive, trailing by just two points thanks to Marcus Smith’s steady kicking that kept the scoreline close after tries from Tele’a and Will Jordan. Early in the second half, however, Smith seized an interception and set up Immanuel Feyi-Waboso for a try, giving England a 22-14 lead. Twickenham buzzed with excitement as England fought to hold onto their advantage, but ultimately New Zealand’s late pressure paid off when Tele’a crossed the line, snatching the win.

As England’s players consoled Ford, New Zealand captain Scott Barrett led his team in celebration, claiming the Hillary Shield once again. England coach Steve Borthwick expressed mixed emotions on BBC Radio 5 Live, sharing both pride in his team’s resilience against a formidable opponent and disappointment over the narrow defeat.

Reflecting on the journey, Borthwick stated, “When we began two years ago, our goal was to bring England back to the top of world rugby. The team is getting closer.”

England will aim to rebound next weekend against Australia, followed by a rematch against South Africa—the team that ousted them in the Rugby World Cup semi-final—and they’ll finish the series against Japan on November 24.