Elliott Smith: Newstalk ZB rugby commentator on the All Blacks losing 33-19 to England

England is celebrating a first home win over the All Blacks in 13 years.

The hosts won 33-19 at Twickenham, despite being 12 points down within the first 20 minutes.

Newstalk ZB rugby commentator Elliott Smith says the team made a strong start, but they couldn't keep up the momentum.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin
from News Talks EDB.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
It is ninety seventeen. The Grand Slam is over for
the All Blacks and here's how the dream ended.

Speaker 3 (00:19):
None of us football collar knicks ahead, reget it. That's
the wind your black Lam Slam, I think slam lost.
Fly England thirty three.

Speaker 2 (00:38):
Nineteen eh thirty three nineteen to England. They first win
over the Abs at twicken Em since twenty twelve, their
second largest win ever, the second most points against the
All Blacks. That's why the locals are going nuts. There
were four Ingis tries in all two in the final
half hour. News Talks here b Rugby commentator Elliott Smith

(00:58):
was there, called the match and joins me now. In fact,
he's still there. Good morning to you, Elliott, Hello Andrew
from a boy.

Speaker 3 (01:06):
Sure at twickt in the crowd just beginning to disperse now,
but they are still in fine voice and celebrating what
was one of England rugby's finest hours, at least in
the last sort of fifteen or twenty years, a win
to remember, that's a sure for England.

Speaker 2 (01:22):
Well, we kicked off quite well, we had two unanswered tries.
It was pretty even at halftime, and then we had
the infamous third quarter crumble, which sounds like an Alison
Holst meal.

Speaker 3 (01:33):
Absolutely and you're right. They started really strongly they'll do
All Blacks and couldn't back it up. They got to
twelve mil early, probably against the run of player a
little bit. They scored two tries in four minutes, but
then didn't really seem to know what to do with
it from that point. Conceded a scram and England were
able to get a try off the back of that scram.

(01:53):
And then just as the All Blacks looking like they're
going to halftime with maybe a converted try lead, George
four bangs over a couple of drop goals and all
of a sudden, a twelve five game has become a
twelve eleven game, and very smart play for George Ford,
who ultimately ended up being the man of the match,
just managed to swing the momentum the way of England
at half time though was still behind by a point,

(02:15):
but it felt like England would be much content going
without at half time then they would be at twelve
to five, So smart play from him, and then second half.
You mentioned the court of third quarter blues. Well that's
where unraveled for the All Blacks straight after halftime. How
can they continue this momentum take the lead, Well they didn't.
They basically considered a yellow card. England scored a try,
took the lead and took all the momentum and the

(02:36):
air out of the contest. From an All Blacks perspective.

Speaker 2 (02:39):
It's a simple game, but you've got to get it right.
And George Ford, all his kicks were pinpoint. Bowden, on
the other hand, put a penalty into the dead ball area.
Cam Roy guard made some mistakes. We just made little mistakes.

Speaker 3 (02:51):
Little mistakes, little moments that in the reflection of time
and at eighty minutes, you go, those were big moments
in the game. And I fiel Blacks had managed to
find touch with both or one of those, even they
can apply a little bit more pressure. They had to
lead at that point. You know, if they get three
points out of at five seven, whatever it might be,
just keep that scoreboard ticking over. But that just keeps

(03:11):
the door open for England. And England took advantage of
that and as he got to twelve or eleven at
half time, the All Blacks weren't clinical enough. They made
those errors and those eras ultimately tell the story of
the game that got away from them. Boat and Barrel
we're hearing had a little bit of a quad injury.
But George Ford in comparison, was pinpoint that everyone talked
to during the week about how it was probably the

(03:33):
conservative option going with him at ten versus the more
enterprising Finn Smith who can also play ten in this
England environment. Well, conservative or not, it delivered the result
at the end of the day and George fads them
out of the match. England won, and the All Blacks
contemplating what exactly went wrong.

Speaker 2 (03:50):
And in his first draft I see that Liam Napier
has already written as saying that our backs seem bereaft
of ideas.

Speaker 3 (03:58):
They do, you know, think of the opening try and
it came in leictifying a knook who's way he was
close to the line. They also got Cody Taylor over
in the left wing corner. That was some good work,
being able to isolate the English defense in the middle
of the park and then try and maneuver it out
wide later on in the attacking phase. And they managed

(04:18):
to do that on a couple of occasions, but it
didn't work throughout the rest of the game. You could
see what they were trying to do was suckle the
defenders into the middle of the park and then have
some opportunities out wide. But that seemed to be really
the only attacking play from the All Blacks. There was
a few times they held the ball for a number
of passengers to play in the middle of the park,
but weren't really going anywhere, and it seemed like the

(04:39):
tactic was to basically wait for England to give up
a penalty, maybe at the ruck, or allow a moment
for England's defense to lap, rather than the All Blacks
creating opportunities on their own. So I'm with you. I
think the All Blacks attack is a real worry against
the top nations in the world. You look at the
way Scotland carried hard last week against the All Blacks

(05:01):
put pressure on them. England did the same today. We
don't seem to have those hard carriers taking the ball
into contact and getting over the advantage line. We seem
to play behind the advantage line a lot now in
tess Ragy, which isn't going to gain you too many
points at all.

Speaker 2 (05:14):
So what will Scott Robertson be thinking. I mean, we
know that rugby is a game we have to build
slowly a team and people talk about four year cycles
and I think it's more like a six year cycle
and every six years a team can finally come right
if you work hard on it. What will Scott be
thinking now about where he's got to in his first
couple of years.

Speaker 3 (05:34):
Well, it's a good point because that's the seventh loss
of the All Blacks last two years. So this is
a moment where you take a little bit of stock.
Next week against Wales. Wales, you know, going through some
struggles of their own, they're in the Rebeld projects of
the All Blacks, barring catastrophe, should go to Wales and
win next week. Let's not entertain the prospect of what
might happen if things go wrong there. But the two

(05:56):
years into a World Cup cycle, have there been enough
evolutions compared to the e and Foster team that got
to within a point in the World Cup Final in
twenty twenty three, I'd probably say they hadn't be I
think there needs to be a little bit more innovation.
We're not seeing it as we touched on the on attack.
The defense comes apart a little bit too easily, and
it doesn't seem like two years out from a World Cup. Yes,

(06:17):
there's been some new players exposed and the team does
look a lot different two years ago, but there's still
I guess a sense of uncertainty about what the top
players in each position are in certain positions. I should
say so yep today you don't want to view in
too much isolation and talk about how big a step
backwards it is. But I think it's an opportunity to
take stock for the All Blacks because they're probably not

(06:37):
where they want to be two years out from a
Rugby World Cup.

Speaker 2 (06:39):
Well said Alan Smith. Well called as well and I
thank you for your time today and off you go.
Enjoy your time in twicken Them, which is going off
right now. Maybe go down to Richmond. Very nice places
down at Richmond, the Whiteswan's a good place to drink
ill pie Island. I mean, yeah, England, Ah, yeah, They're
just impossible when they win.

Speaker 1 (06:58):
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