Minute-by-minute - England vs New Zealand

[Puja]

Minute 1:
Ford to kick off - no, wait, he's having a conversation with Nige about passing the ball back to Farrell. Trick kick-off achieved, but it's not really achieved much - Whitelock takes easily and then gets swatted by Curry. Box kick by Smith and it's a line-out just within the England half.

Straight forward lineout to the front and Youngs makes a lovely pass - 5m from touch, fizzed 17m across for Ford to run onto it. Good tactics to go to the front to secure early ball, but great skills by Youngs to turn it into an attacking play. Manu and Curry carry up strongly and England are on the attack with quick ball. Another good pass by Youngs, turned on by Ford, and New Zealand are caught narrow, with Daly in possession and Watson alone in space down the right. Bridge sprints to cover Watson, but he leaves a gap that's too big for ALB to cover and Daly breaks the tackle to go through. Bridge turns back to scrag Daly, but that just frees the offload to Watson.

Minute 2:
Watson breaks two tackles and is eventually brought down inside the AB 22. I hear NZ like an acronym and here is that LQB (Lightning Quick Ball) as Youngs gets it away within 2 seconds. Ford and Farrell spread the ball very wide and George is free down the left. Steps inside to break two tackles, Curry and Underhill clear and again it's >2 second ruck ball and New Zealand's defence are being made to run. Lawes looks like he's going to carry and New Zealand look like they've never seen an offloading forward before as he sucks in two defenders to offload to Sinckler, who sucks in another two while offloading to Ford and now there's space!

Ford breaks through and finds Mako as the cover comes across - he's brought down, but we're now 4m out and it's quick ball again. Youngs ignores a stationary Curry and waits an extra couple of seconds for Lawes on the run. Lawes is a metre from the line, Curry and Itoje blast any attempt at the jackal away and it's another 2 second ruck before Tuilagi bursts over from the pick and go.

So, the ball started on the left hand side of the pitch. It then went to the far right, at which point we recycled within 2 seconds, and went to the far left, where we recycled within 2 seconds, and then went to the middle of the park, where we had a "slow" ruck of 5 seconds in order for a carrier with a 10m run-up to arrive, at which point we recycled the ball within 2 seconds again. That is nigh perfect rugby - there is not a defence in the world that could cope with that. The only thing you could nitpick was Daly throwing a miss-pass to George, rather than using all the hands which *might* have seen us score a couple of phases earlier, but that's a nitpick.

Minute 3:
Farrell knocks over the conversion for 7-0.

Minute 4:
NZ kick off short, but Lawes dominates in the air without any lifters to claim. Good impact there as it was important to get the ball back. Savea is interested in the turnover, but a joint force of Curry and Underhill lever him off it. I said before the game that picking a lock at 6 felt like a mistake against Cunderhill - maybe a lack of respect for our strengths.

Youngs box kicks and it's not his best - too high and England overrun it with the ball bouncing to Savea. However, the next phase, Lawes tackles low and Ford strips the ball from the NZ tighthead in the tackle. Itoje is on the loose ball and runs to the space outside before throwing an outrageous inside dummy that Barrett buys hook, line, sinker, rod and copy of Angling Times. It is like the NZ players aren't prepared for the fact that our forwards can handle the ball. It gains him an extra 5m and England are on the attack again. NZ are up quickly though and Ford pulls back for Farrell to kick long. It's a good one, but Bridge does very well to just get underneath it, 5m out from his tryline and in the corner.

The chase, however, is superb - there are 4 white shirts in a line to kill off any counter-attack and they're rewarded by Bridge deciding to kick and slicing it into touch 25m out.

[Puja]

Minute 5:
Lovely lineout work from England - lots of movement and misdirection leading to Tom Curry going up uncontested. Doesn't matter if you're only 6'2 if you're the only one going up. We then compound that by running a good front peel that gets us another quick ruck in the NZ 22. England then run multiple quick balls to big runners off 9 and 10 - New Zealand's defence is bending and going backwards, but they're doing well to not break.

Minute 6:
England go wide and Daly puts through an exquisite grubber for Watson to chase. Goodhue has it covered well though and does superbly to get out of coffin corner, powering through tackles from Watson and Farrell (although in fairness on replay he's clearly taken out mid-tackle by Retallick) before being brought down by Youngs after gaining a vital 10m for his team. Smith back to Barrett who clears to nearly up to the 10m line.

Minute 7:
First ropey lineout and, if this one had been lost, I wouldn't've complained about blaming the hooker as the throw is too low and gives Read a sniff. Lawes shows great strength and skill to firstly claim the ball and then control it down to Youngs. SBarrett is through fast on Youngs, but that's another great pass - quick hands, under pressure, to fire it out to the runner's hands 15m infield.

Mako pulls the ball back to Ford instead of crashing up and suddenly there's a lot of space on the left. Sevu Reece does an incredible job in realising he's outnumbered and rushing up into the passing lane between Farrell and Daly. It's far too risky a pass to throw and Farrell instead makes a half-break himself. It's cleared well and two pick and goes give us forward momentum.

Sinckler then goes for a flashy no-look offload, but Ford's not standing where he thinks and we're lucky that a bounce of the ball goes to hand. Ford then rescues things with a gorgeous cut-out pass to Watson who's free down the right. He's brought down, but the NZ defence is being stretched again and, when it comes back left, Curry busts a couple of tackles for another half-break. Farrell takes the ball to the line and delivers it late to Manu on the pull-back. New Zealand are mesmerised by the Vunipolae offering short options and Manu breaks left to feed May in space. He's pulled down, but New Zealand are having to scramble again and again - it's only the sheer quality of their last ditch defence that's keeping them in this so far.

Minute 8:
New Zealand compete for the ball on the floor. It looks dodgy and the ball then goes forward, but it's fine by Nige and we play on with NZ in possession. They have a 5-on-2 against Underhill and Watson, which turns into a 3-on-1 as the pass goes. Watson does incredibly well to back off and offer the inside to Goodhue where the cover defence is coming from. Goodhue breaks through, but Lawes brings him down well. NZ then make two offloads, which are both excellent, but also both forwards. The touch judge is right there though and doesn't give them. We keep tackling and the ball is stopped just inside our half.

New Zealand are on the attack, but our defence is back and very well organised - a slick move by Barrett and ALB is shut down swiftly with minimal ground made. The ball is flung wide to Reece, who makes an incredible step to leave Mako grasping at thin air, but the joy of our defensive structure is that even that skill just takes him straight back into the hands of BillyV and Underhill.

NZ get the ball back to Barrett, but Manu has read him like a book and picks off the wide pass. Quick hands from Farrell sees it to May, who has a race to the line against SBarrett and plenty of room. Barrett has the angle and a running start, but I think May is clearly still feeling his hamstring as there is no trace of the afterburners being applied. A fully-fit May makes that 14-0 England, but instead he's caught and has to step inside, then makes a poor decision to offload to Farrell who clearly wasn't expecting it. The ball goes down and NZ spread it wide on the counter.

Minute 9:
England shut down the NZ counter really well and turn the ball back over, but Nige is coming back for a seatbelt tackle against Itoje. A little harsh, but probably just about correct. New Zealand kick the penalty for a lineout on half-way, which they claim with ease.

[Danno]

Nice nice nice. Thanks in advance Puja

[Gloskarlos]

Good grief Puja

[Mellsblue]

Can’t we just enjoy the win.

[p/d]

Can’t we just enjoy the win.

we won?

[richy678]

Gotta enjoy the win.

[Mellsblue]

Can’t we just enjoy the win.

we won?

Good point. Sorry for the spoiler to anyone who avoided the match so as to read the RR minute by minute breakdown. Ah, what am I saying. Most will wait for Diggers’ version that will run approx 4hrs behind this one. Heady times.

[Mellsblue]

On second thoughts, could Diggers do his on the SHMB. Just for the lols, obvs. It might be another 52 years before we beat them again.

[Puja]

Minute 10:
New Zealand get some joy through crashing it up the centre and then spinning it wide, but it's only 10-15m gained and England's defence never look stressed. Barrett decides to kick for the corner with a grubber through, but Daly belies my pre-match fears by doing an excellent job covering, and takes the ball before it makes touch. He kicks long, but Barrett's back to recover. World Player of the Year and superstar Beauden Barrett, with spare to run off counter-attack ball, the sight that we were told to tremble in fear at... but we've organised a solid white line across our 10m line and there's nowhere for him to go. Instead, it's the up and under, which Ford claims for an easy mark. Underwhelming.

Minute 11:
NZ lineout on our 10m line, which they take and play into midfield. They make some ground and NZ doe actually have a 4-on-3 down the blind side, but Manu jumps out of the line with his hands up ready for the intercept and Mo'unga decides to grubber through instead. Daly again is sweeping very well, but he's got no option but to take that one into touch just inside our 22.

Minute 12:
New Zealand win the lineout, but it's messy and slow ball. They recycle one phase before Aaron Smith decides to go for a box-kick garryowen into the 22 - clearly trying to test out Daly. May is underneath it however and claims well under pressure to take the mark. He taps and passes wide to Farrell and there is actually space out there if we wanted to attack, but Farrell decides discretion is the better part of valour and boots long for touch. I think he's probably right - there was a counter on there, but slippy ball and high pressure RWC semi-final, the last thing you want to do is gift NZ an equalising score.

Minute 13:
New Zealand win the lineout, but it's messy... this seems familiar. NZ go for a maul, but the ball spills loose and Itoje does exceptionally to strip the ball from Moody in the tackle. Youngs picks and goes and NZ have about 50 lazy runners blocking both his snipe and any options for him to pass, but Nige is fine with it and, when the tide of black eventually gets back onside, Youngs feeds BillyV who carries well and then offloads out of the tackle to Ford who shows quick hands to send Youngs away on the run around. New Zealand tackle and scramble well, but we're still getting quick ball and an Underhill charge gets us to the edge of the 22.

Minute 14:
England send up some more runners and bothDaly and Farrell make threatening little half-breaks. Retallick is cleared out by Jonny May and apparently we're not playing the second man in rule anymore cause Smith is allowed to turn over the ball. It's good play by him in the face of a Lawes clearout, but it should be our penalty. NZ recycle and box-kick for England's lineout on the 10m line.

[Puja]

Can’t we just enjoy the win.

This *is* me enjoying the win. You're going to have to wait for the rest though - I'm off to play some rugby of my own.

Puja

[Mellsblue]

Can’t we just enjoy the win.

This *is* me enjoying the win. You're going to have to wait for the rest though - I'm off to play some rugby of my own.

Puja

Expecting a minute by minute breakdown of your match, too.

[Which Tyler]

Thanks Puja, these threads really are a bit of a guilty pleasure to me.

[Digby]

On second thoughts, could Diggers do his on the SHMB. Just for the lols, obvs. It might be another 52 years before we beat them again.

Or do it in reverse order

[richy678]

Can’t we just enjoy the win.

This *is* me enjoying the win. You're going to have to wait for the rest though - I'm off to play some rugby of my own.

Puja

Nice one. I'm about 11 years after last turning out for Broadstreet 4ths.

[Puja]

Can’t we just enjoy the win.

This *is* me enjoying the win. You're going to have to wait for the rest though - I'm off to play some rugby of my own.

Puja

Expecting a minute by minute breakdown of your match, too.

Sadly, no-one thought to record Trowbridge III vs Combe Down II, so I can't give you the full minute-by-minute, but you'll be pleased to know that we won 59-20 and I was magnificent from no 8, even if I did have to stop for a fat-and-old breather every now and again.

Puja

[Puja]

Minute 15:
Another top lineout as movement means that Lawes goes up uncontested (although Whitelock does give the lifters a hefty shove, which is a bit naughty). Borthwick has earned his crust today.

Youngs spins it nicely to Ford and there's a gorgeous set of hands from Underhill to catch-and-pass to Manu on the gainline. He's unlucky that NZ still get two men to Manu, but the little movement of the ball unsettles them, means they're not flying up and Manu makes a dominant carry over the gainline. And, of course, that means Underhill clears for another sub-2s ruck. Mako picks and goes and Underhill is in first again for more LQB. His ruck marks must be obscene, although you'll have to beg Raggs for those.

The ball is spun behind hte next runners to Ford who runs and interests the Kiwi defence before picking out Farrell on the switch. It's a great line and, if it were anyone else, we'd be praising him for that. Fortunately, Fazlet makes it easy for us to maintain our biases by attempting a ridiculous backdoor offload that was never on, and spills it forward. Really unfortunate decision - if he just held on and went to ground, May and Curry are first there to clear out and we'd have a retreating AB defensive line facing Ford on quick ball.

Never mind. Mo'unga picks up and looks for the counter-attack, but once again he's facing a white wall. Speaking of coaches earning their bread, this England defence has been immense - New Zealand just aren't facing the kind of doglegs that they like to attack. He kicks to clear instead and it's a great nudge, bouncing to the edge of our 22. Our workrate is top-drawer though - there are 5 white shirts ahead of the nearest black shirt and Ford can easily feed May, who counters. He's not looking his normal self though and is brought down easily - I really don't think he's fit.

Capture 4.PNG

Minute 16:
Youngs box-kicks, but unfortunately May trips over something, possibly an interesting beetle that caught his eye, and Sinckler is left as the first chaser. Unsurprisingly Mo'unga does him for pace, but then Richie does something less sensible and tries to charge Mako Vunipola. He is bounced so heavily that you expect a cartoon "BWOOONNNGGG!" noise to come up. He does keep his feet, but decides his encore is to take on Courtney Lawes. Maybe not the sharpest crayon in the box.

I would also like to note that we have gone from being on attack in the ABs 22, to a kick down to our 22m line, to chasing a box kick that has landed just inside the ABs half and both of our props have not only got back, but been the main chasers on the box-kick. That is ridiculous from a pair of props, just silly.

Anyway, New Zealand play the ball into midfield and get absolutely no change out of running at Farrell. Unfortunately, Underhill slips as he comes in to make the jackal and then doesn't pull out of it, despite being clearly off his feet. Penalty to New Zealand and definite fair cop - not sensible, Sam. He then makes it worse by releasing on the second call of "Leave it" so now NZ have the penalty and the ball to play the advantage. They do look dangerous for the first time in the match, but BBarrett tries an offload off the floor that goes to Lawes and Nige comes back for the penalty.

Minute 17:
New Zealand kick the penalty for touch and get a lineout just inside the England 22m. They attempt the long throw over the 15m line, but Lawes has tracked it perfectly and gets up in time to tap it back to England. No-one had faith in him though, as there's no-one to catch the tap and we're lucky that the ball breaks sideways to go to George Ford rather than bouncing back over our tryline. Ford clears to touch and there's a bit of argument about whether the ball was taken back in by England - technically the lineout was taken just outside the 22, but it was awarded just inside and Nigel notes that he'd already declared it as starting inside the 22 so we get away with it.

Minute 18:
NZ go to the front and maul and Sinckler does well to listen to the ref and get out of an offside position. From then on, it's the Itoje show- NZ are going slowly forward, but Maro's forcing his way through the middle with arms reaching over the top like Inspector Gadget. Just as Smith goes to take the ball from Taylor at the back, Itoje reaches over and yanks Taylor forward by the back of his shirt (one handed!). The sudden movement means Smith doesn't take the ball for fear of dropping it, and Itoje uses his yank to act like a f*cking swimmer doing front crawl - right arm pulls him forward with Taylor as his anchor and his left arm swings over the top to latch onto the ball. He's then holding it in using just the strength in his forearm against Smith standing straight with all the leverage in the world. England turnover. World. Class.

Capture 5.PNG

Minute 19:
England fans are giving it the "Ohhhh, Maro Itoje!" chant and amusingly enough, the stadium announcers decide to help them out by playing the Seven Nation Army beat over the tannoy. I think they thought that was just excitable fans singing 7NA, as I've seen is popular in some countries' sporting events; I don't think they realised that that was an England chant and they probably shouldn't be helping our supporters along!

First scrum and Sinckler and Moody are both f*cking about on the off side. Sinckler has a lot to say and is keeping up a constant chirp at Moody. The reset takes up the rest of the minute.

[Mellsblue]

This *is* me enjoying the win. You're going to have to wait for the rest though - I'm off to play some rugby of my own.

Puja

Expecting a minute by minute breakdown of your match, too.

Sadly, no-one thought to record Trowbridge III vs Combe Down II, so I can't give you the full minute-by-minute, but you'll be pleased to know that we won 59-20 and I was magnificent from no 8, even if I did have to stop for a fat-and-old breather every now and again.

Puja

We might not have a minute by minute breakdown but at least we’ve solved who should replace Billy should he get injured.

[Puja]

Minute 20:
More f*ckery from Sinckler and Moody, but we just about get a scrum done in this minute on the third attempt. BillyV makes a mess out of controlling at the back and the ball shoots out. That didn't happen today for Trowbridge IIIs, that's all I'm saying. Youngs fires it back to Watson, who isn't expecting it, but does have a bit of space to work in and only Smith to beat.

Minute 21:
Watson makes a little hash of it, nearly bumping into Youngs retreating, and by the time he does beat Smith, the forwards are up and ready for him. We recycle solidly and reset for a Youngs box-kick, oddly enough to the strains of The Fields of Athenry. A fair few optimistic Irish fans, evidently. Bridge goes up to take the high ball, but is met by Underhill who thumps him down - that was a good box-kick from Youngs.

New Zealand recyle and try the cross-kick - on paper it's a good call, as England are numbered up but narrow, and it looks like May has left ALB with 15m to play with on the wing. However, May plays it superbly, backpedalling fast, before giving up on the idea of competing for the ball very early and instead setting himself to smash ALB man-and-ball into touch, hitting him around the chest to rule out the offload. Great work and it's that kind of rugby understanding that's made him such a great winger.

Minute 22:
Another well-constructed lineout sees NZ buy two dummies before Itoje goes up uncontested. You can have as many jumpers as you like, but if you can't get any of them up, then they're useless.

Ford kicks to turn Reece and finds grass behind him. The ball bounces well for Reece and he looks to Barrett for the counter, but once again, there is a solid defensive line of 5 English players and there's just no opportunity. Barrett kicks and it'll be an England lineout well inside NZ's half. We've made 25-30m from that kicking exchange, from the quality of Ford's boot and the quality of our chase.

Minute 23:
SBarrett guesses right at this lineout, but England's movement has meant that his lifters aren't quite with him and the precision of England's work sees Lawes soar above him. Barrett still has an attempt at pulling down Lawes in the air, but the ball has already gone to Youngs.

Manu crashes up in midfield and we run a phase through the forwards before Youngs spreads it back the way we came. An offload from BillyV that looked a tad forward is let go and Sinckler makes a half break which become quick ball for England. Farrell then grubbers through and pins NZ back deep in their 22 - good game management again.

Minute 24:
New Zealand win their lineout comfortably and Smith box kicks away after a phase. May's a little lucky to get away with not being called for taking the ball into touch under the new laws, although I suspect it had passed the plane before he touched it. Unnecessary though - he could have left it. Another England lineout, just inside the NZ half and another combination of movement and precise lifting, jumping and throwing sees us take it again. Youngs fires another glorious 20m pass and we have to give him credit for what he's done so far. Mako V takes it on the run and carries us forward another 6m.

[Puja]

Minute 25:
More quick ball for England and Billy V offloads to Ford who shows exquisite hands to catch-and-give to May looping round. He offloads out of the tackle to Daly who sets Watson away down the flank. Watson toys with ALB, looking like he's about to step inside, then puts the foot down and ALB turns from a man who comfortably has the outside covered to someone diving to get a fingertip on a shirt. He does just manage to reel Watson in, but the ball is presented well and it's another sub 2s breakdown.

BillyV carries up and Savea looks interested in the jackal, but he is forcefully prised away by... I was going to say Curry and was certain that it was Curry on first viewing, but a replay shows that it's George Ford sprinting in from fly-half, after seeing Billy's isolated, and forcibly removing a top flanker from being clamped over the ball. He really can do everything!

The ball is messy and Youngs does well not to pass to Whitelock who has rushed up into the passing lane. Instead he find Lawes who clears things up. Mako is running a good line, but there's something Youngs doesn't like as he orders him back to go again. At the second time, Mako runs in-to-out, rather than out-to-in, and it's clearly a called move as the ball is immediately flung back blind to Ford who's come around. Billy V gets a free run at a winger and makes some ground, although he is isolated and ALB has half a second where he could steal the ball, before a combined team of Watson and Itoje clear him out.

Sinckler gets the ball at first receiver, decides not to pass to Curry as he's overrun and instead runs behind him, much to the pantomime outrage of Whitelock, who now loses the right to be annoyed at Farrell's play-acting later. Sinckler draws and give to Underhill who goes over. The commentator's ecstatic, Nigel doesn't think there's anything wrong with it, but I think they both need a visit to Specsavers, as that's the clearest case of crossing you will see all week. I'd be fuming if that was given against us and the TMO rightly rules it out.

Minute 26:
NZ kick for touch and go quickly into midfield, where Goodhue makes his most incisive input into the match by kneeing Owen Farrell in the thigh during a tackle. I had one of those last week and he has all my sympathies, cause they f*cking hurt.

Manu is caught a little narrow and NZ have a 3-on-2, but they fail to draw anyone and Tuilagi tracks across to belt Reece into touch without ever needing May's input. The ball is flung inside to stay alive though and May is unlucky that it doesn't bounce up for him. NZ regather and put up an up and under on Jonny May.

Minute 27:
May takes with aplomb and we secure the ball. Sinckler is first receiver and again NZ look like they're baffled by the idea of an English forward handling - both Read and Moody line up Sinckler for the big hit and he just drops it inside to Jamie George who bursts through and is only stopped by some excellent last-ditch tackling from Smith. It's great attacking ball and unfrotunately Ford makes a complete mess of the territory kick - it's middle of the 22m line and straight down Mo'unga's throat. He's looking for the counter attack, but is easily brought down by Ford. Mo'unga unleashes a... let's be charitable and call it a flat offload to SBarrett, who draws and passes inside to Retallick on the burst and suddenly New Zealand are showing a bit of the English flair and skills amongst the forwards.

Retallick carries deep into England's half before being felled by a tackle that looked awfully high and uncontrolled by Youngs. If that'd been spotted, you'd imagine that was a yellow. The offload finds Goodhue anyway and now it's quick hands to BBarrett, then back inside to Goodhue who is bundled into touch by Farrell. He's done tremendously well to get back with an injury - that must have hurt a lot. That's the best NZ have looked and England really had to scramble there.

Minute 28:
England lineout deep within our 22 and pressure is on, but once again our drills are superb and NZ get nowhere near us. Youngs put in a superb box kick from his own line to take us 35m out. NZ attempt to run a quick lineout drill to catch England unawares, but the throw isn't high enough and Itoje jumps with just one lifter to pinch it from Read. Youngs then puts up another good box kick and, while Watson is shepherded away off the ball, Sinckler is up there to absolutely crunch George Bridge as he goes to run.

Another thing of note - barring Pier Francis vs USA and Ben Youngs here, England haven't even made a tackle that could potentially be a yellow for height, let alone a red. They've put in some phenomenal hits, but they've been going for the ribcage or the hips. That's got to be down to the training camps and is testament to this England coaching team.

Minute 29:
NZ run a nice switch, but it's well behind the gainline and England contain it with ease. They do get it wide to Bridge who makes a couple of metres, but he's well marshalled into touch by Watson and it's an England lineout just inside the NZ half.

England don't even have to move at that lineout - it's a straight forward middle-ball - but they've earned that by confusing the f*ck out of NZ so far this game. It's like watching a spinner against a tail-ender. This was the one where they did just go straight up, but NZ are so ready for the dummy and shuffle that they're completely unprepared.

Unfortunately, Lawes makes a cock-up of the tap down - he clearly expected Youngs to be standing at scrum-half, but they've put BillyV at there and he's come in like he's expecting a drive. Maybe it was meant to be a drive and Lawes has just screwed up the call? Either way, Lawes passes to a scrum-half that isn't there and, because the bounce of a rugby ball always hates you, it kicks sideways away from Youngs and is gathered by SBarrett coming through.

[Puja]

Minute 30:
Thankfully SBarrett tries a superhero offload to Retallick and the ball spills forward to Mako. England look to break down the blind side and then, rather oddly, just stop and ask Nigel for the scrum, rather than supporting George on the floor. Risky business - Nige could just as easily have not seen the knock-on - but NZ appear to have stopped as well and we end up with a weird moment of neither team playing to the whistle.

Minute 31:
Nigel gives us the penalty in the scrum as the NZ tighthead gets himself in a terrible position and slips to the ground. Good call. Elliott Daly is taking the touch kicks now Farrell is incapacitated and he nearly screws it up judges it perfectly as George Bridge tries to keep it in, but has a foot on the line. Good distance though - we've gone from middle of our half to just outside the NZ 22.

Minute 32:
I'm repeating myself, but it's going to keep happening - another great lineout drill that sees England take unopposed. England set the maul and it looks for a minute like it might splinter right and offer some metres, but that's the kind of trap that leads to us getting turned over, so Youngs takes the ball and plays away. Good decision-making. He undoes it a little with a dipping pass that makes Farrell stretch, which he will not thank him for. Farrell does make a good dominant carry though, which we follow with Underhill hitting a great line at pace. Middle of the field and England take another phase to reset before going back to Ford for the drop goal, which is...

Minute 33:
Just wide. You hate to be picky, cause it's a tough skill and it was 38m out, but that should have been put away. It's a good result for England though, cause NZ try a short restart which is chipped too high for the forwards to do more than get a hand on and it's knocked on into touch for an England scrum.

Minute 34:
Good solid scrum and Youngs plays away under pressure from Smith. Watson makes Mo'unga look silly in traffic and we recycle for Curry who gets smashed by SBarrett and Read, only to ride it and make another metre. Youngs snipes well, but our momentum is lost as NZ screw around at the breakdown and Lawes plays 9. It's slow ball and Sinckler's thinking of the bosh he's going to make rather than catching the ball and he drops a simple pass. NZ scrum.

[Puja]

Minute 35:
Slow scrum setup and then Mako and Laulala go down to cause a reset.

Minute 36:
Both sides are interested in scrummaging this time and NZ play away before grubbering down the left flank. Watson covers back and Tuilagi does brilliantly to secure the ball without flopping over it to kill it. Billy V picks and goes, but is given no change by the Kiwis and the resulting ruck is messy, leading to Youngs being caught at the base when the ball pops out. Sinckler does well to secure the ruck and England have slow ball with no scrum-half.

Minute 37:
We recycle the ball and Youngs is back on his feet for the box-kick. Once again Watson is "accidentally" edged out of the way by NZ players running back and, once again, Bridge thinks he's got room inside before being crunched by an England forward, this time Sam Underhill. Underhill has such glorious technique - head to the right side, arms locked round the knees, shoulder into the thighs, sit down sunshine, you ain't going nowhere.

NZ do find some room down the blind side through good hands, but Goodhue is brought down by Lawes and Curry is locked in over the ball, completely immovable. What fantastic work.

Minute 38:
Ford is kicking for touch this time - whether that's because they want precision rather than Daly's power or if he's blown his chance with his... exquisitely judged effort earlier. Ford doesn't make the distance that Daly did, but it's solidly into NZ's half.

Finally, New Zealand pick one of England's lineout plays and Read gets in front of Itoje for the steal. Sack Borthwick! ALB has men outside him, but tries to go through Ford for some reason, which doesn't end well for him. They do eventually go wide and there's the same 3-on-2 that we had before - Tuilagi does well not to bite in, but he has to sprint to hunt down BBarrett on the outside arc.

Minute 39:
NZ are on the front foot, but England charge up in defence - not every tackle is made, but the ferocity is buying time for others to come in and make the tackle. Farrell is making some big hits - I haven't seen any sign of him not being involved since getting the dead leg and, if the commentators hadn't been making such a deal out of it, I might not have even noticed it happened.

The ball goes to Mo'unga, who looks outside him to see Manu has shot up for the interception. Mo'unga panics and steps back inside to find Lawes, which ends about as you'd expect. Underhill is first there over the ball and wrests it back our side, only for SBarrett to come in from the side and take it back for NZ. Nigel blows for the penalty and Ford has a kick from 45m out.

[Puja]

Minute 40:
Ford slots a monster kick and England are 10-0 up. There's time for the kick-off though.

Minute 41:
NZ kick off short and Lawes does well to tap back despite being charged by Read. The ball goes to Watson who belts it off the pitch and we have half-time.

Right, I'm going to watch the Gloucester vs Wasps game. You might get the second half tomorrow, small children depending.

Puja

[Digby]

Ah, the small children are doing the commentary, now it makes sense

[Puja]

I'll ignore that Diggers.

Minute 41:
SBarrett off at half-time - he didn't have a shocker, but looked very much like a lock playing at 6, against two very good breakdown specialists. Pretty much exactly the same as every time that we try to shove one in there.

NZ kick off and England don't do a good job of controlling it - Lawes is up in a pod, but they're too far back and Read can leap and slap it back. Thankfully, Curry is a horrible sneaky barsteward and has positioned himself to take the tap back and England have possession. Youngs box kicks very poorly - flat and straight down Mo'unga's throat - and NZ counter to bring the ball back to half-way. NZ attack at pace, but England's line doesn't look threatened. Curry has a sniff of a turnover, but Retallick wraps an arm around his neck from behind and levers him away by his trachea. This is apparently fine.

Justice is done however, as the ball spills loose and Whitelock follows his partner's lead by illegally taking out an Englishman who looks like they might get to the ball, in this case, barging Ben Youngs out of the way. Whitelock really has had a nasty game.

Minute 42:
Daly is going for the long-range kick. Good shout. I have apparently maligned the refereeing team, as Nige is talking to Farrell in the background about the chokehold on Curry and saying that the TMO had called it to him, but the hit on Youngs was further up the pitch.

Minute 43:
Daly's pushed it wide. It's not far off though. NZ drop-out long and find Ford, who returns it with a high bomb that falls just outside the 22. It's a superb kick and made better by Daly leaping high and nicking it from BBarrett. It's like he's got a laundry list of the complaints that I had from last week - attacking the line, sweeping up kicks, competing at high balls - and is ticking them off one by one.

Sinckler tidies the loose ball and we're in possession just outside the 22. Youngs goes blind and Farrell grubbers through - if it'd worked, it would've been an excellent decision and pinned NZ right back on their goalline, but Goodhue sticks out a boot and the ball ricochets up into the hands of Smith. Farrell hits Smith hard though, dislodging the ball, and it falls for Watson...

Minute 44:
Watson is brought down, but we get quick ball again and again and again to stress the NZ defence. Ford makes a half-break and is unlucky not to find Underhill with the offload. The ball bobbles loose and we lose a bit of ground and momentum as we reset.

We run Sinckler as first receiver popping a little pass off to BillyV and it's still bemusing the ABs defence. BillyV knocks them back and Youngs goes blind to Farrell coming around. He shows quick hands and suddenly England have a 3-on-2. Curry draws a man and looks to feed the speed outside, but Reece has jumped and takes the intercept. Every England fan has visions of him going under the posts and all our effort in the first half coming to naught, cause that's the kind of thing that the All Blacks do, but Tuilagi is very quick at turning attack into defence and brings him down before he's got 5 metres. Reece tries the offload off the deck and Youngs does superbly to intercept it and sprint down the left. He grubbers through before being tackled into touch and, while Barrett is first there, he's isolated and Itoje forces the turnover.