Ford's Drop Goals Secure Historic England Victory
In a spectacular display of tactical brilliance, George Ford guided England to a memorable 33-19 victory over New Zealand at Twickenham, marking their 10th consecutive win in the Autumn Nations Series. The fly-half delivered a masterclass performance that included two crucial drop goals and a sublime 50:22 kick, establishing himself as England's undisputed on-field general.
England's Dominant Team Performance
The home side displayed remarkable cohesion with no weak links throughout the squad. Ben Earl was having an exceptional game until his yellow card, making countless carries and leading the counter-rucking charge. The centre partnership between Ollie Lawrence and Fraser Dingwall flourished, with both players crossing for important tries.
Lawrence produced a strong finish to get England on the scoreboard and made a significant turnover, while Dingwall demonstrated clever play with a lovely dummy and inside pass to Sam Underhill before capping his best autumn performance with a fine try.
In the forwards, Sam Underhill lived up to his big-game reputation, smashing into Peter Lakai within two minutes and eventually powering over from close range. Despite some early lineout struggles that saw Jamie George lose three throws in the first half alone, the pack grew into the game decisively.
New Zealand's Struggles and Standout Performers
The All Blacks faced significant challenges throughout the match, particularly in their backline where Leroy Carter endured a torrid time. Carter was bumped too easily by Lawrence for England's opening try and coughed up an ugly knock-on, putting his starting position under pressure.
While Will Jordan maintained his remarkable try-scoring record and Leicester Fainga'anuku opened the scoring with a powerful finish, New Zealand struggled to maintain possession and missed several opportunities. Josh Lord, a late call-up to replace the ill Fabian Holland, impressed with no signs of rustiness, stealing an early lineout and flying into tackles.
The match turned decisively in England's favour when Codie Taylor received a yellow card at the start of the second half, allowing the home side to seize control during his absence.
Substitutes Make Their Mark
England's replacements made significant contributions, with Henry Pollock proving a nuisance in the best possible way and Tom Curry bringing his typical action-man approach for the final 24 minutes. Marcus Smith showed up well for nearly an hour after replacing the injured Freddie Steward, who had been causing New Zealand problems with his aerial work before his head injury after 22 minutes.
For New Zealand, Damian McKenzie made an impact off the bench, with many observers feeling he should have started given his performance level.
This victory represents a significant statement from Steve Borthwick's England, demonstrating they can compete with and defeat the southern hemisphere's best through intelligent game management and collective determination. The performance suggests the team is developing an identity that could make them genuine contenders in upcoming competitions.
