England 16 New Zealand 26:ONLY ONCE in their past nine meetings have England made New Zealand work harder, statistically at least, for their customary victory. A 10-point defeat, given some of the grim November days of recent seasons, almost qualifies as significant progress.
In Martin Johnson’s world, though, there remains nagging frustration.
If England continue to start like tortoises, the backline hares of Australia will make them pay more heavily even than the All Blacks did on Saturday.
Johnson was not inclined to quote Aesop’s fable after watching New Zealand defend a half-time lead of 17-3.
England gave the Wallabies a 14-point head start in Perth during June and also lost by 10 points.
If every match kicked off at half-time it might be a different story, but the International Rugby Board has yet to instigate such a luxury. “We’ve just got to start better,” said the team manager, refusing to bask in the dim light of his side’s second-half revival.
Here is a telling fact: the biggest half-time deficit England have overcome to win a game in 139 years of Tests does not reach double figures. The record is nine points, against Argentina in Buenos Aires in 2002, a statistic which says little for their finishing power against good opposition.
It also suggests a need to explode from the stalls against the likes of New Zealand and Australia, a skill that has been conspicuously absent lately.
Slight rustiness, and the presence of five players making their Twickenham debuts, may have had an effect, but that did not entirely explain the collective slow-burn. “We’ve got to learn not to be crap in the first half,” said the prop Dan Cole.
Johnson and his squad also recognise the need for accuracy and ruthlessness in taking their chances. It is easy to sit in the stands and find fault with a player who gives an early ball rather than be poleaxed by a 6ft 4in, 17-stone opponent.
That said, the elementary art of fixing a defender by running at his inside shoulder, thus allowing the outside man a crucial half-metre, has not been an English strength since Will Greenwood retired. With more attention to detail, England might have had two more tries, once when Mike Tindall made a hash of an attempted pass to Lewis Moody and then when the New Zealand-born and raised Shontayne Hape was shouldered out of a try in the left corner by Isaia Toeava. It was an illegal challenge but a clear chance still went begging.
It all contributed to a dressing-room mood which, to Johnson’s relief, fell well short of satisfaction.
“If you want to get better you don’t go around being satisfied,” he said. “Let’s not pat ourselves on the back. At times we’ve played some good stuff, at times we haven’t.
“The reaction of the players has been good. I didn’t want them to be happy with the comeback . . . I wanted them to be hacked off, knowing they could have been better.
“I’m upset for them because you don’t get many shots at these blokes. I’m not saying we could have won, but I think it was an opportunity missed.”
Johnson knows that the verdict on England’s autumn now hinges largely on this Saturday’s performance against Australia. If the Wallabies win comfortably, even on limited possession, it will suggest that the upward curve of English fortunes is not steep enough to make them World Cup contenders next year.
“Australia are lethal in terms of taking opportunities and spotting space . . . we know how dangerous they can be,” said Johnson.
“By no means should we be saying, ‘We’ve got the tough one out of the way’. If you get into that trap you’ll get beaten very quickly. If you let the machine roll, they’ll look brilliant.”
In that respect, England did well enough against a New Zealand side who head for Scotland unbeaten in an autumn Test in Europe since 2002.
Cole and Andrew Sheridan posed persistent scrummaging problems and, belatedly, there was enough dash from Ben Foden and Chris Ashton to raise All Blacks flutters, particularly after the flanker Jerome Kaino was sent to the sin-bin eight minutes from time.
“They kept us on our toes . . . personally, I thought they’d just be crash and bash,” said Sonny Bill Williams, the debutant All Blacks centre who did enough to suggest he will be a major threat in union, as he was in league, sooner rather than later.
Once the impressive Hosea Gear had sneaked in at the corner and the number eight Kieran Read had surged over from close range for what Johnson called “a disappointing try to concede at this level”, England were essentially floored.
With outhalf Dan Carter keeping his side beyond England’s desperate jabs, Dylan Hartley’s 53rd-minute try following Toby Flood’s kick could not prevent the All Blacks winning a clear points decision.
Progress? Only if England follow up with a more accurate sequel on Saturday.
ENGLAND: Foden; Ashton, Tindall, Hape, Cueto; Flood, Youngs; Sheridan, Thompson, Cole, Lawes, Palmer, Croft, Moody, Easter. Replacements: Armitage for Cueto (68 mins), Care for Youngs (72 mins), Wilson for Sheridan (58 mins), Hartley for Thompson (51 mins), Attwood for Palmer (64 mins), Fourie for Moody (66 mins). Not Used: Hodgson.
NEW ZEALAND: Muliaina; Rokocoko, Williams, Nonu, Gear; Carter, Mathewson; Woodcock, Mealamu, O Franks, Thorn, Whitelock, Kaino, McCaw, Read. Replacements: Toeava for Rokocoko (58 mins), Ellis for Mathewson (51 mins), Afoa for O Franks (75 mins), Boric for Whitelock (68). Not Used: Elliot, Messam, Donald.
Referee: Romain Poite (France).
