As
the lights are switched off tonight at Eden Park it will be done so
with a sigh of relief... the stadium's 22 year winning record for the All
Blacks remains intact, however only just! Underneath the floodlights England
shocked the home side and pushed them every step of the way in a pulsating and
captivating First Test.
Statistically
the odds were against the men in white, the majority of people wrote them off
months ago when they realised about the small scheduling hick up however a few
of us felt that, that was doing both the players and Stuart Lancaster and his
team a disservice and backed them regardless.
A
focused Chris Robshaw led his team out into a cauldron of noise and emotions
and instead of cowering at daunting prospect ahead them they rose to the
challenge from the very first minute! As expected England were driven forward
by a need to prove themselves and a need to showcase their worth, individually
and collectively. For 80 minutes the All Blacks didn’t look their usual imperious
selves instead they looked like humans however it says so much about Steve
Hanson’s side that they found a way to win the game. If I pointed directly to
Nigel Owens’ decision to card Marland Yarde and said that, that was the only
difference between the two sides then I would be doing the All Blacks a small disservice,
yes they weren’t at their best and yes they were rusty but they closed the game
out, when many other sides wouldn’t have done. Aaron Cruden’s decision to take
a quick penalty must have caused heart attacks all around the country however
in the end it proved to be the difference as Conrad Smith subsequently found
the try line.
Prior
to that point you felt that England were the ones in control... from the first
whistle to the last Chris Robshaw was inspired, he was the heartbeat of a
prolific back row ably supported by Ben Morgan and James Haskell and delivered
a true Captain’s performance. Freddie Burns’ selection raised eyebrows and made
many question Stuart Lancaster’s decision making however the young fly half was
outstanding, it was his game management and his kicking game that enabled
England to push on throughout the match. Together Kyle Eastmond and Manu
Tuilagi eclipsed Nonu and Smith, Eastmond ignored the fact that he was 28kg lighter
and 11cm shorter than Nonu (thanks @LucyLomax16 for that fact) and fronted up
phenomenally well. David Wilson’s knock-ons were frustrating, however his
contribution at scrum time more than made up for it... Joe Launchbury and Geoff
Parling were a sight to behold and how often can we say that England had the
upper hand at both the scrum and the lineout against New Zealand?!! England
successfully silenced some of New Zealand’s biggest names and they did it in
style... Dagg went off with 30 minutes to go, Nonu not long after and many
forgot that Richie McCaw was on the pitch... that statement alone showcases
just how impressive Robshaw’s men were.
Stuart
Lancaster and his coaching team are in a luxurious position, they have a match
day squad that just frightened the life out of the All Blacks and they have a
number of his first choice players that are chomping at the bit to get on the
pitch. For example at fly half Danny Cipriani entered the game and exerted
himself instantly, should he be given the chance start next weekend? What about
Owen Farrell? Finally, throw into the mix the fact that that Burns didn’t put a
foot wrong... that is just one headache!
Today
England showed the world their intentions and they showed that they are a side
that is not to be taken lightly under any circumstances. Great teams are never
satisfied with a loss and England will believe that they gave New Zealand the
victory today instead of New Zealand earning it for themselves and that will
fuel their fire heading into the Second Test.
This
First Test was one hell of a test match and one that should warm the hearts of
every single fan of English Rugby. Under the leadership of Stuart Lancaster England are moving
forwards every single time that they step onto the pitch and now they have a depth
to their squad that has been missing in the past. The next stop is Dunedin,
there is no doubt about the fact that New Zealand will up their game, but you
can bet your bottom dollar that England will too! For now all that is left to say is this; "Congratulations England, the victory may have eluded you, but my goodness
me did you make your nation proud!"
