England vs New Zealand LIVE: Rugby result and reaction as England complete incredible comeback to snatch draw
England 25-25 New Zealand: Will Stuart scored two tries as England produced an incredible comeback from 25-6 down with nine minutes to go
England burgled an outrageous 25-25 draw from New Zealand after being out of the running for most of the match, a late brace from Will Stuart helping them to a result which will nonetheless do little to quieten coach Eddie Jones’s critics.
Flanker Dalton Papali’i opened the scoring for New Zealand after just four minutes, appearing to read an English strike play off the tail of their lineout and intercepting Jack van Poortvliet’s pass to run 45 metres untouched. They added a second minutes later, Codie Taylor bundling over from a lineout after England were penalised at the scrum, and the hosts were in bad shape at 0-14 down inside ten minutes.
With England’s attack misfiring all day while New Zealand were for the most part clinical, adding a third through Rieko Ioane, it took until the final 10 minutes for some encouragement for the fractious home fans.
With seemingly nothing to lose, England exploded out of nowhere, Marcus Smith skipping through a gap to set up a close-range Stuart try and Freddie Steward rounding off a free-flowing attack to add another. The Twickenham crowd were delirious when Stuart went over again in the final minute, with Smith converting to complete a remarkable comeback.
Relive all from the autumn international between England and the All Blacks below:
England 25-25 New Zealand, 80 minutes
Problems for New Zealand. TJ Perenara has tweaked an ankle and David Havili is on. They have no scrum half.
Can England capitalise? They take the restart...and Marcus Smith kicks into the stands!
Boos, big boos from the crowd - it’s a draw!
TRY! ENGLAND 25-25 New Zealand (Will Stuart try, 80 minutes)
An unlikely English hero!
Henry Slade and Guy Porter had make the initial burst up the right, but it was the replacement tighthead there again to capitalise.
Marcus Smith converts - it’s 25 apiece with less than a minute to go.
Try? Has Will Stuart got another?
The prop crashes over and Mathieu Raynal awards it initially, but the French referee wants to make certain...
England 18-25 New Zealand, 78 minutes
New Zealand’s maul wastes another 45 seconds, and Jordie Barrett carries hard and straight.
But the All Blacks kick the ball away and England will have a chance.
England 18-25 New Zealand, 77 minutes
Was that the right option? A curious moment from Ben Youngs, who has largely been good since he came on. The scrum-half lifts an entirely aimless box kick up the left touchline with no-one in particular there to pursue it.
England then infringe. Three minutes to play.
England 18-25 New Zealand, 76 minutes
How quickly things can swing. Twickenham, so lifeless five minutes or so ago, is now roaring England on, and the home players are rising to the challenge. They win a penalty on their own ten-metre line as a New Zealand tackler fails to roll away.
TRY! ENGLAND 18-25 New Zealand (Freddie Steward try, 75 minutes)
And Freddie Steward bounds over on the right!
New Zealand’s 14-men never recovered from the Ribbans offload. Ben Youngs cleverly goes blind as most of his teammates rush to the left, and Steward makes unimpeded passage to the line.
Marcus Smith converts!
England 11-25 New Zealand, 74 minutes
But there is belief about England! They attack from deep, making metres up the left.
Dave Ribbans! That’s an extraordinary offload over the top to put a back into space...
TRY! ENGLAND 11-25 New Zealand (Will Stuart try, 72 minutes)
The officials took their time but the try is awarded!
A long, long check but the final outcome is five points to Will Stuart’s name on his return - and a glimmer of hope for England.
Marcus Smith’s conversion is...no good. The hosts remain two converted scores in arrears.
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