England conquers Twickenham: A historic triumph against the All Blacks
In a gray afternoon, England illuminated Twickenham with a performance for the history books. They showed character, precision, physicality and, above all, immense self-confidence by defeating the All Blacks 33-19.
The tension held until the 76th minute, when Tom Roebuck secured the victory with his try and extended the lead to 14 points. Before that, the breath was held, with Henry Pollock showing his energy and George Ford controlling the game with amazing precision.
Despite starting 12-0 down in the first 18 minutes, England didn’t lose focus and came back with tries from Ollie Lawrence, Sam Underhill, Fraser Dingwall and the decisive Roebuck, unleashing joy at Twickenham.At the end of the match, the English celebration was a mixture of happiness and exhaustion. This team became the ninth in English history to defeat the All Blacks.
This match was an example of sport played at the limit of pressure and psychological capacity. Mistakes were inevitable, but they reflected the intensity of the game and the quality of England.
England demonstrated its ability to react to adversity. They remained true to their strategy, accumulating points, overcoming mental setbacks, and responding decisively.
Success was built thanks to Ford’s brilliance, Underhill’s tireless work, the centers’ organization and ball recovery, Maro Itoje’s leadership, the bench’s strength and its tactical versatility to attack and pressure in various ways.This victory represents an important step in building confidence and a boost towards future achievements. England had not achieved a triumph of this caliber since 2019, when they defeated the All Blacks in the World Cup semi-final.
The victory over Australia two weeks ago was the first against the Wallabies, All Blacks or Springboks since 2022. They have been close for a long time, but this time they achieved the triumph.
Defeating the All Blacks is a rare achievement for England. Only eight English teams had managed to beat New Zealand in the 46 matches played. These victories are memorable and are remembered with pride.
England’s response to the haka was similar to the V formation they used in the Yokohama victory six years ago. At that time, Owen Farrell smiled at the All Blacks; on this occasion, Pollock showed his enthusiasm.This match demonstrated England’s progress under Steve Borthwick’s direction. Ford had a masterful performance as fly-half, and his leadership was key. The victory was built from number 1 to 23, demonstrating the team’s growth.
Ford scored a penalty in the 75th minute to extend England’s lead to nine points, before Roebuck sealed the victory. Ford demonstrated his experience, with his drop-goals before halftime that reduced the All Blacks’ lead from 12-5 to 12-11.
England overcame some challenges, such as the loss of three lineouts in the first half. Despite being 12-0 down, they did not flinch.
The All Blacks’ mistakes, such as missed penalties and turnovers, also influenced the result.The entry of players from the bench in the 51st minute provided a new impetus to England. Despite the All Blacks’ attempt to come back, with Will Jordan’s try, England kept calm and delivered the final blows.
The scrum was dominant, England won every loose ball and controlled the match. New Zealand, seeking the Grand Slam on their northern hemisphere tour, was outplayed.
This is a memorable performance by England, ending a 13-year wait for a victory over the All Blacks at Twickenham.
