Source: Radio New Zealand
Fraser Dingwall of England scores his team’s third try during the Quilter Nations Series 2025 rugby international match between England and New Zealand at Allianz Stadium. David Rogers/Getty Images
The All Blacks’ Grand Slam hopes are over, following a comprehensive 33-19 loss to England at Twickenham. Despite scoring the first two tries and leading at halftime, the All Blacks let the game slip in the second half following a controversial yellow card to Codie Taylor soon after the restart.
However, Scott Robertson’s side can’t blame that moment for the defeat, as England closed out the last half an hour playing very composed and effective rugby. Tries to Sam Underhill, Fraser Dingwall and Tom Roebuck could only be matched with one by Will Jordan, which meant that England could control the pace of the game.
Earlier, the All Blacks would’ve been pretty pleased with the way things were going after the repulsed a long run of English possession and territory. With their first real chance they scored through Leicester Fainga’anuku, then followed it up with another well-constructed try to Taylor.
However, England’s game plan adjusted impressively and they gained territory again, culminating in two well struck drop goals to George Ford.
Taylor’s yellow card was an exceptionally tough call given that it was the first penalty the All Blacks had conceded in the whole game through 42 minutes, but arguably the bigger setback was when Cam Roigard was forced from the field with injury at the same time. Roigard’s absence was notable for the rest of the match, as Cortez Ratima and the rest of the All Black bench struggled to make an impact.
In contrast the English replacements, nicknamed the ‘Pom Squad’, injected a great deal of energy. None more so than young flanker Henry Pollock, whose footwork set up Roebuck’s match-sealing try.
It was England’s ninth ever win against the All Blacks and first since the famous 2019 World Cup semifinal result, and their first at Twickenham since 2012. It reverses a run of incredibly tight All Black wins, with three matches last year decided by three points or less.
The All Blacks now move on to Cardiff to play a struggling Wales, in the last test match of the season.
Read how the game unfolded here:
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Billy Proctor Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
