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The last time England beat New Zealand at Twickenham, George Ford was a fresh-faced 20-year-old who was practising his drop goals at Leicester’s training ground in Oadby.
Thirteen years of heartbreak later, it was England’s evergreen No 10 who delivered a masterclass to earn England another famous victory over the mighty All Blacks.
With two swings of his white right boot, Ford wrestled back momentum in the face of a first-half onslaught. He took control with a couple of drop goals, showing the sort of on-pitch IQ that make people talk about him as the future England coach.
It was the sort of composure he showed against Argentina in the World Cup opener, when he turned to the underused and often forgotten skill to guide his team through the storm.
He outplayed the iconic Beauden Barrett, who has not kicked a Test drop goal since 2018, and marshalled his team to score 25 unanswered points, moving his chips around the table with 50-22s and spiral bombs.
He led his team to their 10th consecutive victory, with the infamous Pom Squad arriving from the bench to twist the knife with a series of late blows. Henry Pollock, who set up the final score, was at primary school the last team England got one over the Kiwis in London.
George Ford delivered a masterclass to inspire England to a famous victory over New Zealand
Ford helped to wrestle back momentum from the All Blacks with a pair of drop goals
New Zealand had looked on course for another Twickenham victory with tries from Leicester Fainga'anuku and Codie Taylor, pictured, seeing the All Blacks roar into a 12-0 lead
Confidence was flowing through the carriages of the South West Trains services into Twickenham. ‘I think we’ll win by five,’ one English fan told his father. Punters discussed how they had managed to get their hands on the hottest ticket in town. Competitions at members’ clubs in Soho, corporate outings or splashing £200 through the ballot at the local rugby club. Images of the haka were plastered around the station. New Zealand’s fierce war dance has been transformed into one of sport’s greatest marketing tools, washed out with branding for everyone from insurance to watches.
Pollock and Jamie George led England’s pre-match theatrics as they circled the haka. Swing Low swirled around the Twickenham stands. Challenge accepted.
Much of the pre-match narrative was around the kicking battle. England took to the skies early, with Freddie Steward using his superstrength to chase Ford and Alex Mitchell's kicks. They opened with intensity, with Sam Underhill and Steward both landing tackles that dislodged All Black possession.
Yet early chances went begging. Ford’s crossfield kick came to nothing, Underhill threw a loose offload and Ardie Savea won a turnover. Three attacks, no tries.
The English lineout faltered throughout the first half and it cost them. Scott Barrett beat Maro Itoje in the air, allowing Cam Roigard and Beauden Barrett to show their instinctive passing in England’s 22, with Leicester Fainga'anuku bulldozing over to score. One attack, one try.
When Ford sent his restart straight into touch, the All Blacks were gifted a scrum on halfway. Roigard landed a 50-22 from the base and, within minutes, the All Blacks were two scores up. Will Jordan arced around the defence and Codie Taylor beat Alex Mitchell out wide.
Steward was pulled off for a head injury after 22 minutes and Marcus Smith joined the action. The blunt attack continued when Alex Coles was held up but, with 25 minutes on the clock, the hosts finally broke through from a scrum. Smith pulled the defenders to the openside and Ford attacked down the blindside, setting up Ollie Lawrence to run through a feeble tackle by Leroy Carter.
The All Blacks could have moved further ahead if Beauden Barrett and Roigard had not uncharacteristically missed kicks to touch. Instead, it was Ford who took control, landing two opportunist drop goals to set up a one-point game at half-time.
Sam Underhill went over to put England ahead, moments after Codie Taylor was sin binned
Fraser Dingwall ran in England's third try as part of a run of 25 unanswered points
Will Jordan reduced the All Blacks deficit to set up a tense finale at Twickenham
After Ford eased nerves with a penalty, Tom Roebuck scored England's fourth try to seal victory
The famous comeback ensured Steve Borthwick's side earned their tenth successive win
New Zealand’s discipline was clean through the first half. They went 43 minutes without conceding a penalty, before Taylor was harshly sent to the sin-bin for playing the ball out of Marcus Smith’s hands on the ground.
England made hay. Playing the ball off the top of the lineout, they send a couple of waves of attack towards the New Zealand line. Mitchell was just short, before Underhill scored to take the lead.
Ford took control. With the Pom Squad bouncing down the touchline, ready to make an impact, the No 10 pinned back New Zealand with a 50-22. England played the ball off the top of the set piece, with Lawrence setting up Fraser Dingwall to score a perfectly executed strike move.
England’s bench made an impact. They forced a spill by Damian McKenzie and celebrated a scrum penalty like a pack of WWE wrestlers.
But Earl was penalised at a maul and Will Jordan scored to set up a tense finale.
Ford edged his team towards history with a 75th minute penalty, before Tom Roebuck finished the demolition when he gathered a fly-hacked ball from Pollock.
