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All Blacks v England recap: Second test from Eden Park

Beauden Barrett made a big impact for the All Blacks against England. Photo / Photosport
Beauden Barrett made a big impact for the All Blacks against England. Photo / Photosport

All Blacks v England, 2nd test, 7.05pm, Saturday, Eden Park, Auckland

Christopher Reive

That'll do it from me tonight. Enjoy the rest of your night. 

I'll leave you with the match report from Liam Napier. 

Christopher Reive

So, the Scott Robertson era begins with a 2-0 record, coming out on the better side of some fine margins in two tests against England. 

They certainly haven't been the most convincing performances, but what they have shown is this team can find a way to win. 

Early in the second half, it was beginning to look unlikely as England began to edge ahead. The hosts weren't able to find much room to move as the English defence swarmed up on them, and they spent most of the first 50 minutes having to kick the ball away to relieve the pressure. 

The contributions of the bench were superb tonight. Beauden Barrett with a game-changing performance, Cortez Ratima looked settled on his test debut and provided quality ball, Fletcher Newell had some strong moments at the scrum, while Luke Jacobson and Ofa Tu'ungafasi made an impact defensively with six tackles each.  

They'll now head off to San Diego for a test against Fiji next weekend - their final hit out before the Rugby Championship starts in August. 

Christopher Reive

The All Blacks - your Steinlager Ultra Low Carb Series champions

Christopher Reive

Scott and Jordie Barrett led the tackle count for the All Blacks with 13 apiece. George's 15 was the highest in the game. 

Mark Tele'a made the biggest dent with ball in hand, running for 89m. Ben Earl was England's best with 79m. 

All of the All Blacks' points were scored by two people, with Mark Tele'a bagging both tries and Damian McKenzie slotting four penalties and a conversion 

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England captain Jamie George: "I spoke earlier in the week to the boys about the journey this team has been on. It's been a long season for us dating back to the start of the world cup.

"I think we're a significantly better team than when we started and there's hugely exciting times ahead for this English team.

"We'll welcome [the All Blacks] back to Twickenham in November, we'll look forward to that. I really don't think there is a ceiling in this team. You look at the age demographic, [they're] hugely talented guys who are desperate to learn and it's an absolute pleasure to be a part of."

Christopher Reive

"It was a proper test match and we expected nothing less from a classy side," Beauden Barrett told Sky Sport. 

"That's test footy - it comes down to the wire like that. I'm proud of the boys for showing some good belief and finishing it off there."

Christopher Reive

ALL BLACKS WIN

Christopher Reive

Damian McKenzie taps, kicks it out and the game is over

Christopher Reive

Looks like it's going to be a penalty against England - Ollie Lawrence creating a new maul after the initial charge was defended, which is obstruction. 

Christopher Reive

It was Beauden Barrett holding the ball up, with Jordie arriving in assistance. 

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We'll check to see how that all collapsed. 

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One of the backline Barrett's gets underneath George as he charges to the line and it's held up. 

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They go to Itoje. No momentum in the lineout drive initially, then they surge forward. 

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Lineout 5m out. Big moment this. 

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Inside the final minute here. England need a converted try to get a draw

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Penalty advantage England. All Blacks are hanging on here and we'll go back to the penalty - offside. 

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All Blacks turn it over. Beauden Barrett kicks to touch. Smith takes it quickly. 

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Good lineout, going to the back and releasing immediately. 

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Penalty England. They kick to touch

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Sevu Reece gets waxed by Sleightholme on the outside and the English get into great position. 

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Good lineout from England

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McKenzie is there to tidy things up, and he finds touch on halfway. 

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England keeping it in the hands, before Slade stabs it inside the All Blacks' 22m

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Ratima swings it back to Beauden Barrett, who thumps it down field. 

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All Blacks clean up the restart. Aumua takes a strong carry

Penalty McKenzie

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The lead goes out a little further - sneaking it in off the left upright. 

24-17 All Blacks. 5 minutes remaining

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Scott Barrett comes down with it but it goes to ground as Itoje slaps it. That's a penalty to the All Blacks. Three points on offer

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McKenzie kicks for the sideline and finds it just outside the England 22

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Penalty All Blacks. Massive push from the scrum

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England scrum on halfway. Eight minutes remaining. 

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All Blacks knock on; huge counter ruck from the English to force the error. 

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Smith has to come back on for England as Steward leaves for an HIA. 

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If the All Blacks win this, Beauden Barrett should be your man of the match. He's made a huge impact off the bench. 

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Itoje penalised for a high shot soon after the restart - more free territory for the All Blacks. 

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Baxter and Feyi-Waboso off for England

Penalty McKenzie

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All Blacks lead 21-17 with 11 minutes left. 

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Penalty All Blacks - Itoje called for being offside. It's directly in front of the posts and McKenzie will take the shot. 

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All Blacks in striking distance here, as Sevu Reece finally gets into some space

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It's sent back to the All Blacks and Jordie Barrett brings it back. 

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Ollie Lawrence with a chip in behind. Beauden Barrett cleans it up and does one of his own, gets his toe to it again before England tidy up. 

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England looking to use the ball more here and they're making ground well. 

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England look to attack before Smith stabs a dangerous kick in behind. Beauden Barrett scoops it up and hammers it down and out at halfway. 

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My bad, put the mockers on Beauden Barrett. He puts a kick out on the full - just - and England get the lineout on the All Blacks' 10m line. 

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All Blacks playing with a bit of momentum now. Tele'a has another dart out wide and they All Blacks are finding room to move. 

McKenzie misses

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Just to the left of the upright. All Blacks lead by one with 17 to go

TRY ALL BLACKS

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Beauden Barrett takeover incoming? He's been great since he came on and he's made a great read there after a nice ball from McKenzie, shooting through a hole before putting Tele'a over for his second of the night. 

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England go to the front of the lineout, but the All Blacks defend that well. Mitchell sets up for a box kick and it goes deep but not into touch. All Blacks look to launch the counter

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Anton Lienert-Brown joins the action for Rieko Ioane. 

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Savea steals the lineout. B. Barrett with a long kick and he does well to chase it and force the issue. 

The All Blacks get it back, before he finds touch again inside the England 22. A rare trip there for the All Blacks in this half. 

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Ratima feeds it to Beauden Barrett, who kicks to touch. Very little for the All Blacks to work with here. They're just being smothered. 

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Lineout just inside All Blacks territory, England take it in. Mitchell puts up a contestable kick but the All Blacks clean it up. 

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All Blacks get a left off as the English infringe at the lineout. It's just a free kick though, so England will get the throw it in. 

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Battle between Smith and Itoje for man of the match so far. 

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Tap and go, before a lovely kick from Smith rolls into touch 5m from the All Blacks' line. 

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Free kick to England at the scrum - All Blacks went  early. 

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Tuipulotu leaves the field. As does Tyrel Lomax. 

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Tuipulotu steals the lineout, but Ardie Savea knocks on a couple of phases later. England get the scrum close to halfway. 

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Itoje gets close to it, but the All Blacks survive and Ratima will kick clear. He finds touch just inside the All Blacks' half. Pretty good kick really with little angle and not a convincing strike. 

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England go from the back of the scrum. Smith tries another kick in behind but it's not a great one and dribbles into touch. 

All Blacks lineout inside their own 22

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Hold up here as Finlay Christie gets some attention. He'll come off and on comes Cortez Ratima on debut. 

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All Blacks defence is strong, and it looked like the All Blacks had survived, but there's a knock on in a tackle attempt. Scrum England. 

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All Blacks struggle to clean it up. Sevu Reece kicks to touch, but it's taken back and England have another golden opportunity inside the All Blacks' 22. 

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Scrum All Blacks. It's a good one and they spread it wide. Tele'a goes inside England territory, but the visitors scramble well and clean up his kick in behind, get the ball and kick clear. 

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Changes for the All Blacks as Finau, Perofeta and de Groot go off. 

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Hold up here as Theo Dan goes down in a bad way. 

He gets his head in a bad position in trying to tackle Patrick Tuipulotu. It's worsened as a teammate gets him with a knee to the back of the head as he goes down. That'll be his night over and Jamie George will have to come straight back on.  

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Changes for England as Sam Underhill, Jamie George and Will Stuart all run off. 

Penalty Smith

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England extend their lead. It's 17-13 after 49 minutes. 

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Savea challenges the England lineout, but they hang on. It looked like the All Blacks had forced a turnover, but it's a penalty against Dalton Papali'i for an infringement at the breakdown.  

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Front row goes down but the All Blacks are told to use it. Perofeta has to kick clear and finds touch, but just outside the 22. 

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And Jamie George knocks on in the collision; Tele'a strips it out as he goes to ground. 

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England setting up nicely now in midfield

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Short lineout goes to Itoje. Lawrence has a strong carry.

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Henry Slade kicks to touch. England lineout inside the All Blacks' 22

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They clean up, and there's a penalty against Tele'a for being offside. 

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Lineout is taken in and England look to set their attack, but it goes to ground out wide. 

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Penalty finds touch inside All Blacks territory. 

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A whole lot of kicking, but Jordie Barrett gets his timing wrong in collecting Smith. Smith just off the ground as Barrett clatters into him. 

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A couple of kicks back and forth, England have it just inside their own half

Second half underway

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Earl takes the restart comfortably and Mitchell heaves a box kick down to Jordie Barrett just inside the All Blacks half

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No changes at the break from either side. 

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One stat that basically sums up the success England's defence has had on keeping the All Blacks under pressure: Sevu Reece - one run, zero metres gained in the first half. 

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Dalton Papali'i leads the tackle count at the break with 11. Codie Taylor, Tyrel Lomax and Scott Barrett have made eight each. 

Jamie George's eight leads England's tackle count. 

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Two perfect kicks from Marcus Smith. Two tries to the England wingers. 

England will feel like they deserved to be ahead after the first half, having more possession (55%) and playing the majority of the game inside All Blacks territory. 

The All Blacks have had their chances, though. Their lineout is a worry - Maro Itoje has been a menace there - and that England defence is forcing the All Blacks to kick for territory pretty quickly when they do get the ball. A couple of counterattack opportunities have seen the All Blacks get close, but they've been limited to just one Tele'a try and a couple of penalties. 

Conversion Smith - England lead at halftime

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14-13 to the visitors and it's time for oranges. 

TRY ENGLAND

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With the penalty advantage, Smith heaves up a kick across the field and Tommy Freeman soars above Tele'a to score. Real NRL last play areas that. 

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England trying to find a way through as the halftime hooter sounds. 

Penalty advantage to the English. 

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England work it forward, back inside the All Blacks' 22

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They're inside the 22, and Mitchell stabs a kick in behind. It's not a good kick, dribbling into the in-goal before McKenzie has to play on it. Goal line drop out for the All Blacks and it goes deep downfield. 

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Scott Barrett can't bring the restart in and England go straight onto the attack. 

All you need to know about Scott Robertson’s side look to win the series over England after a one-point victory in Dunedin.

All Blacks v England - History

England haven’t won in New Zealand since 2003, just their second ever win over the All Blacks on New Zealand soil. They have met six times previously at Eden Park, the last test being in 2014 when the All Blacks won 20-15. England famously won in 1973 for their first victory here.

Overall record All Blacks v England

Played 44

All Blacks won 34

England won 8

Draws 2

All Blacks v England lineups

All Blacks:

1. Ethan de Groot, 2. Codie Taylor, 3. Tyrel Lomax , 4. Scott Barrett (c), 5. Patrick Tuipulotu, 6. Samipeni Finau, 7. Dalton Papali’i, 8. Ardie Savea, 9. Finlay Christie, 10. Damian McKenzie, 11. Mark Tele’a, 12. Jordie Barrett, 13. Rieko Ioane, 14. Sevu Reece, 15. Stephen Perofeta

Reserves:

16. Asafo Aumua, 17. Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18. Fletcher Newell, 19. Tupou Vaa’i, 20. Luke Jacobson, 21. Cortez Ratima (debut), 22. Anton Lienert-Brown, 23. Beauden Barrett.

England:

1. Fin Baxter, 2. Jamie George - captain, 3. Will Stuart, 4. Maro Itoje - vice-captain, 5. George Martin, 6. Chandler Cunningham-South, 7. Sam Underhill, 8. Ben Earl - vice-captain, 9. Alex Mitchell, 10. Marcus Smith, 11. Tommy Freeman, 12. Ollie Lawrence, 13. Henry Slade - vice-captain, 14. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 15. George Furbank.

Reserves:

16. Theo Dan, 17. Bevan Rodd, 18. Dan Cole, 19. Alex Coles, 20. Tom Curry, 21. Ben Spencer, 22. Fin Smith, 23. Ollie Sleightholme.

Who will lead the haka for the All Blacks?

The question may not be answered until Saturday night. TJ Perenara did a fantastic job leading the haka in the first test but has been ruled out of this Saturday’s game following a knee injury. Codie Taylor is a veteran with Māori heritage who has done the role previously.

Who will be the All Blacks captain?

Scott Barrett was revealed as the new All Blacks captain when the squad was announced last month, replacing Sam Cane. Ardie Savea and Jordie Barrett have been named as his vice-captains.

All Blacks v England second test referee

Australian Nic Berry will take charge of the match, a return to Eden Park after being the referee for the Super Rugby final. The last time he did an All Blacks game was 2022 when they beat Argentina 53-3 in Hamilton. The All Blacks have three wins, a loss to Australia and a draw with South Africa under Berry.

England last saw Berry at the 2023 World Cup when they beat Argentina 26-23 in the bronze medal match in Paris. The previous year he oversaw a 20-9 defeat to Wales.

All Blacks v England expert predictions

Elliott Smith - All Blacks 13+

Liam Napier - All Blacks 12-

Alex Powell - All Blacks 13+

Will Toogood - England 1-12

Jason Pine - All Blacks 12-

Elijah Fa’afiu - All Blacks 12-

Bonnie Jansen - All Blacks 13+

Weather forecast

Expecting a clear night. Mostly sunny. Breezy Sou’East winds according to Weatherwatch with a high of 11 degrees at kickoff.

All Blacks v England TAB odds

All Blacks: $1.27 Draw: $21 England: $3.50

All Blacks v England How to follow the action

For live commentary of All Blacks v England, join Elliott Smith on Newstalk ZB, Gold Sport and iHeartRadio.

You can watch the game on Sky Sport 1 and live streaming on Sky Sport Now; an alternative commentary option from the Alternative Commentary Collective is available on iHeartRadio, Hauraki and Sky Sport 9.

You can also find live updates at nzherald.co.nz.


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