George Ford Reflects on Missed Opportunities After England’s Heartbreaking Loss to New Zealand
New Zealand celebrated their victory in the Autumn international match at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Saturday, November 2, 2024. England’s chance for a memorable win over the All Blacks slipped away in a tense 24-22 defeat, with George Ford missing critical kicks in the final moments.
The All Blacks took the lead thanks to two tries from Mark Tele’a, but England found hope when Anton Lienert-Brown was penalized for a dangerous tackle on Theo Dan.
Ford’s penalty attempt in the 77th minute hit the upright, and after a missed scrum opportunity, his drop-goal try also went off target, leaving England to reflect on what might have been in their Autumn Nations Series opener.
Tensions rose earlier when Joe Marler called the Haka “ridiculous” and suggested it should be “binned,” but the anticipated response from All Blacks captain Scott Barrett only surfaced towards the match’s end.
Despite a lackluster display from New Zealand, they took advantage of England’s defensive weaknesses, with Ellis Genge being outmaneuvered twice, leading to tries from Tele’a and Will Jordan.
Marcus Smith kept England competitive with several penalties, many earned through their strong scrum, and he shifted momentum when he assisted Immanuel Feyi-Waboso for a crucial try.
New Zealand responded by creating an important touchline for Tele’a, who benefited from a successful conversion by Damian McKenzie.
New Zealand Celebrating Their Win
Marler’s views on the Haka were not shared by the 82,000-strong crowd, who cheered as England approached the halfway line to face the Maori war dance before kick-off.
The thrilling spectacle was matched by England’s strong start, utilizing short chips to the wings to advance downfield, leading to a penalty expertly converted by Smith.
However, momentum shifted when Wallace Sititi attracted two defenders and executed an impressive off-load to Tele’a, who evaded Genge to score along the touchline.
Smith responded with a penalty, and after some intense exchanges, England sparked to life with Maro Itoje making successive breaks and releasing Ben Spencer.
A reminder of New Zealand’s threat came when Jordie Barrett maneuvered through several defenders, launching a counter-attack that resulted in their second try from Jordan.
This try stemmed from a clever combination between Beauden Barrett and Jordan, exposing a gap in England’s ruck defense, with Genge being the unfortunate victim.
Smith’s kicking kept the hosts in contention, and a massive hit by Chandler Cunningham-South on Tupou Vaa’i boosted the crowd’s spirits, culminating in another three points from a scrum penalty.
