All Blacks taken down a peg or two

The wing dropped the ball but he was well covered anyway and referee Clancy brought play back for a penalty, which Farrell kicked confidently to push England ahead. Almost immediately from the restart, Morgan was penalised for hitting a ruck from the side but Carter missed his second shot at goal from virtually in front of the posts.

New Zealand began to work through the phases but England’s white defensive wall responded with some ferocious tackles, notably Tom Youngs on Carter, before Dan Cole won a turnover. Israel Dagg tried to run back a Ben Youngs box kick but he was smothered in his own half by Launchbury and Wood, who won the penalty and Farrell coolly kicked the goal.

Keven Mealamu then overthrew a lineout and England were back on the attack, with Tuilagi and Goode combining to break the gain-line before Farrell slotted a drop-goal. As the clock ticked down to half-time, England kept the ball. Robshaw drove around the fringes, the All Blacks were drawn offside and Farrell slotted his third penalty.

England then extended their lead beyond two converted tries when the All Blacks scrum went down and Farrell landed his fourth penalty from wide on the right. But when Farrell scragged Aaron Smith at a ruck near England’s line and was penalised, the tide appeared to have turned.

New Zealand went for touch, won the lineout and then spread play to the opposite wing where Savea cut infield and beat four defenders to score, with Carter converting. Suddenly, the All Blacks had their tails up. Farrell was under pressure as he tried to clear England’s lines and he failed to find touch.

Dagg danced down the right touchline, England’s defence was disorganised and the All Blacks cut them open again with Jane and Conrad Smith combining to send Read over. England could have wobbled under the onslaught of two tries in three minutes. Instead, they hit back with a vengeance with Tuilagi the destroyer in-chief.

Smith drifted too early in defence, Barritt straightened through the gap and passed to Tuilagi before receiving the offload back to score his first Test try. Farrell’s conversion hit the crossbar.

Tuilagi then crashed through two defenders as England attacked from clean lineout ball and his perfectly-delayed pass sent Ashton searing over the line for his first try in 12 Tests. Tuilagi then picked off a loose pass from Read and galloped 50 metres for England’s third try in eight minutes, which Farrell converted before being replaced by Freddie Burns.

The Gloucester ouhalf wrapped up the victory with two penalties.

Savea scored his second try with five minutes remaining but nothing could deny England their first win against New Zealand in nine years.