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England 25-25 New Zealand: Hosts recover from 25-6 down to dramatically draw with All Blacks at Twickenham

Tries from Dalton Papalii, Codie Taylor, Rieko Ioane, plus a Jordie Barrett penalty and Beauden Barrett drop-goal put the All Blacks 25-6 ahead at Twickenham, before England scored late through Will Stuart and Freddie Steward, after Owen Farrell and Marcus Smith kicked earlier penalties

steward
Image: Freddie Steward scored one of three late England tries as they fought back from 25-6 to draw

A late yellow card for Beauden Barrett proved crucial as England recovered from 25-6 down to draw 25-25 with the All Blacks at Twickenham after three dramatic late tries. 

Replacement prop Will Stuart (two) and full-back Freddie Steward each scored in the final eight minutes - the last of which came in the final minute - after Barrett had been yellow-carded for cynically failing to release when Marcus Smith had gone close.

England 25-25 New Zealand - Score summary

England - Tries: Stuart (72, 79), Steward (74). Cons: Smith (75, 80). Pens: Farrell (25), Smith (41).

New Zealand - Tries: Papalii (4), Taylor (9), Ioane (50). Cons: Jordie Barrett (4, 10). Pens: Jordie Barrett (40+1). Drop-goals: Beauden Barrett (71). Yellow card: Beauden Barrett (72).

A visibly pumped up England were caught cold in the opening 10 minutes, as All Blacks back-row Dalton Papalii and hooker Codie Taylor each scored converted tries for an ominous 14-0 lead.

The second half seemed to rest much on England failing to convert a clear early chance on top of the New Zealand try-line, when Maro Itoje was penalised for going off feet, and Kiwi centre Rieko Ioane scored a magnificent third moments later to stretch the game away from the hosts.

England, who distinctly lacked invention in attack again for much of the Test, went on to strike late, though, to implausibly claim something after a penalty apiece from skipper Owen Farrell - picking up his 100th Test cap - and Smith was all they had registered by the 71st minute.

Team News

Skipper Owen Farrell started at inside-centre for his 100th England Test cap. Manu Tuilagi returned to start in midfield, while Jack van Poortvliet replaced Ben Youngs at scrum-half. Maro Itoje returned to the second row, with Sam Simmonds starting on the blindside and Billy Vunipola returning at No 8. Jack Nowell returned from an abdominal injury on the wing.

The All Blacks made six personnel changes from the win over Scotland, as centre Rieko Ioane, fly-half Richie Mo'unga, scrum-half Aaron Smith, hooker Codie Taylor, tighthead Tyrel Lomax, lock Brodie Retallick all came in. Retallick returned from suspension for his 100th Test cap, while he and skipper Sam Whitelock set a new world record of 64 Test starts together in the second row (previous record SA's Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield, 63).

Twickenham
Image: Twickenham played host to a first England vs New Zealand meeting since the 2019 Rugby World Cup semi-finals
Retallick, Farrell
Image: Owen Farrell and Brodie Retallick each led the sides out on the occasion of their 100th caps

A penalty against England for offside handed the All Blacks early territory near the hosts' 22, but though Barrett brothers Scott and Jordie made gain-line breaks, a poor Richie Mo'unga pass saw Ioane knock on under pressure.

The respite was brief, however, as with barely three minutes played, All Blacks openside Papalii timed his run to perfection to intercept a Jack van Poortvliet pass off a lineout and sprint in untouched from near halfway.

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Dalton Papali'i was gifted New Zealand's opening try
Image: Dalton Papalii was gifted New Zealand's opening try, as he timed things perfectly to run in an intercept
Papalii

Jordie Barrett tapped over the simple conversion for the full haul, and on nine minutes the All Blacks were in for another try they hadn't to work hard for: a scrum penalty against Ellis Genge for hinging giving way to a rolling maul which saw Taylor just get the ball down to audible cheers from scrum-half Aaron Smith. Referee Mathieu Raynal soon obliged with his whistle.

Taylor
Image: Codie Taylor (pictured ball in hand) broke off a rolling maul to score New Zealand's second try

Barrett converted for 14-0 and a disastrous start for England, before an offside penalty against the visitors granted the home side their first attacking opportunity, which Farrell and co chose to kick to the corner.

A penalty for obstruction - or double-banking - at the lineout, where the lifter shifts in front of the ball carrier was the result though, to massive frustration for the home support.

New Zealand missed touch from hand with the penalty, but a wonderful breakdown jackal from tighthead prop Tyrel Lomax allowed the visitors to gain possession back and chew off some territory.

The All Blacks thought they were in for a third try on 18 minutes through Ioane after more quick passing in the 22, but player appeals for a knock-on led to an immediate review called by TMO Brian MacNeice.

Replays showed Ioane had neck-rolled England's Farrell at a prior breakdown to the score, making the search for a knock-on moot, and the score ruled out for a penalty.

Ioane
Image: The All Blacks thought they had a third first half try though Rieko Ioane, but it was ruled out after a TMO review

All Blacks scrum-half Smith was caught offside to hand England the next clear attacking chance, but a knock-on by second row Jonny Hill under the posts saw it end.

A knock-on by New Zealand attempting to exit, and subsequent scrum penalty against Lomax for going to his knee, saw Farrell make the call to take the points this time, kicking off the tee for 14-3.

Farrell
Image: England's only points of the opening period came via an Owen Farrell penalty

A high tackle by All Blacks wing Mark Telea granted England another penalty, but Farrell missed touch from hand, only for Ioane to be penalised for running ahead of the kicker in the next phase.

Farrell found touch on the second occasion to the All Blacks 22, but the attack came to nothing as the visitors forced the ball unplayable at the maul, winning the turnover.

New Zealand were next to pass up good chances as the first half drew to a close, when they first gave away a cheap free-kick for closing the gap at a lineout in the England 22, before Jordie Barrett knocked on a Smith pass four metres from the try-line in the corner.

The All Blacks did add more points before the break, however, as Barrett drove over from close range after Genge had been penalised for offside.

Jordie Barrett
Image: Jordie Barrett landed two conversions and a penalty off the tee in the Test

The second half began with England almost immediately adding points: hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie jackalling to win a penalty at the first breakdown following the restart, and Smith kicking through the posts having taken over from Farrell, who had picked up an ankle complaint in the closing stages of the opening period.

Smith
Image: Marcus Smith took over kicking duties in the second half, with Farrell struggling with an ankle knock

Less than two minutes later, Manu Tuilagi was stopped just short after bursting through on a Smith short ball, and though the hosts went through seven phases on top of the All Blacks try-line thereafter, a penalty against Itoje for going off feet and sealing off the ball saw the visitors survive.

In the 50th minute Ioane scored a quite stunning try after an exquisitely-executed Beauden Barrett kick-pass within his 22 found wing Caleb Clarke, who then produced a disguised pass out the back for his centre to take at full pelt and show everyone else on the pitch a clean pair of heels.

Ioane
Image: Ioane scored a sensational third for New Zealand, who looked odds on to win from there
Clarke, Ioane

It left the score 22-6 and England facing a mountain. When No 8 Ardie Savea and then Telea each forced breakdown penalties to quell England's next two attacks, the Test appeared to be meandering towards a pretty clear conclusion.

Itoje and co were penalised for jumping across the lineout when next placed in the 22, but after a Beauden Barrett drop-goal stretched the New Zealand lead to 19 points, the entire complexion of the Test changed with eight minutes to go, after the All Blacks full-back was forced to depart to the sin-bin.

Beauden Barrett
Image: Beauden Barrett's late sin-binning for cynical play proceeded England's dramatic late comeback

First, a TMO review proved that Stuart had managed to get the ball down on the line as he picked up and contorted himself over just after Barrett had slowed play down, before Steward - after a wonderful David Ribbans offload - sprinted in from virtually the next attack with six minutes to go.

Steward
Image: Steward powered over for England's second in a matter of minutes late on

Smith converted impeccably, and critically, to get England within seven points, but a penalty against the hosts in attack seemed to confirm the result late on.

That was until the final minute, when Stuart forced his way over past Mo'unga - becoming the first England prop in history to score twice in a game in doing so - and Smith converted to level matters to huge ovation from a bedazzled Twickenham crowd.

England's Will Stuart
Image: England's Will Stuart forced his way over for two of their late tries, including the leveller in the last minute
England players celebrate after teammate Will Stuart,

Smith chose to kick the ball out after England claimed the restart, despite still facing 14 for the final play, prompting tangible discontent in the stands, as the All Blacks were left to stew on failing to win a Test from 14 points ahead for the very first time.

What's next?

Eddie Jones' England next host South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday, November 26, in a 5.30pm (GMT) kick-off for the last of their four autumn internationals this Test window.

England's Autumn Internationals

Sunday, November 6 England 29-30 Argentina 2.15pm
Saturday, November 12 England 52-13 Japan 3.15pm
Saturday, November 19 England 25-25 New Zealand 5.30pm
Saturday, November 26 England vs South Africa 5.30pm

For Ian Foster and the All Blacks, they have now completed their autumn international schedule for 2022, having beaten Japan in Tokyo, before picking up wins vs Wales and Scotland and then drawing with England.

New Zealand's Autumn Internationals

Saturday, October 29 Japan 31-38 New Zealand 6.50am (GMT)
Saturday, November 5 Wales 23-55 New Zealand 3.15pm
Sunday, November 13 Scotland 23-31 New Zealand 2.15pm
Saturday, November 19 England 25-25 New Zealand 5.30pm

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