England recorded a historic 33-19 victory over New Zealand at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, coming from 12-0 down to claim their first home win over the All Blacks since 2012. The triumph, only England's ninth in the history of the fixture, was sealed with tries from Ollie Lawrence, Sam Underhill, Fraser Dingwall and Tom Roebuck, alongside two first-half drop goals from George Ford.
Ford, who finished with a 13-point haul, was named man of the match after directing operations with composure. The Sale fly-half had endured a difficult afternoon in the same fixture a year ago, missing a late penalty and drop goal, but this time his contributions proved decisive. Will Jordan crossed for New Zealand, but the visitors could not mount a sustained fightback as England's bench made a significant impact in the closing stages.
The win, part of the Quilter Nations Series, extended England's unbeaten run to ten matches. It also marked a notable turnaround from last year, when England lost three tight encounters to New Zealand, failing to score in the final 20 minutes of each game. Captain Maro Itoje hailed the improved scrum as a “weapon”, with the pack earning two crucial second-half penalties despite pressure on their own lineout.
Head coach Steve Borthwick praised the leadership of Ford, Jamie George, Ben Earl, Tom Curry and Ellis Genge, as well as the contribution of players outside the matchday squad. When given the opportunity to respond to critics from last November, Borthwick declined, sharing a light-hearted exchange with Itoje about the criticism. The team had also made a pointed response to the haka before the match.
England's performance was hailed as one of the defining results of the Borthwick era, demonstrating the progress made over the past 12 months. With a first home victory over the All Blacks in 13 years, the side now looks increasingly like one of the best in the world.
