All Blacks seal Grand Slam
New Zealand completed the Grand Slam on their European Tour as they ran out convincing 32-6 winners against England at Twickenham.
Last Updated: 29/11/08 6:18pm
New Zealand completed the Grand Slam on their European Tour as they ran out convincing 32-6 winners against England at Twickenham.
England, who had no fewer than four men sin-binned during the course of the match by referee Alain Rolland, battled bravely to stay within touching distance of their opponents until the hour mark.
However, the All Blacks ran in three tries in the final 20 minutes to pull clear and underline their superiority.
Mils Muliaina helped himself to two scores and Ma'a Nonu raced over for a spectacular final try as a tiring England were punished late on.
Third straight
The loss represents a third straight defeat for Martin Johnson's new-look England team who have plenty of work to do ahead of the Six Nations in the New Year.
They started nervously, exemplified by fly-half Toby Flood who, following a poor kick from hand, proceeded to miss a kickable penalty after New Zealand skipper Richie McCaw had been penalised.
Dan Carter demonstrated how it should be done on the quarter hour mark after Rolland had spotted an infringement from Danny Care. But Flood did get England on the board two minutes later as Tony Woodcock collapsed a scrum.
Both sides struggled for fluency during a scrappy first-half, but England made life especially hard for themselves through their ill-discipline and lost their first man on 23 minutes when Lee Mears was spotted deliberately slowing down play at the ruck.
Carter, who was uncharacteristically profligate with the boot throughout, missing five kicks, could not slot over that penalty, but made no mistake given another chance two minutes later as Care was again penalised.
James Haskell joined Mears in the bin on the half-hour mark as he was spotted using a forearm on Rodney So'oialo and further lapses in discipline handed Carter the chance to extend the lead to 12-3 at the break.
Barnstorming start
Despite their numerical disadvantage, England made a barnstorming start to the second period and Nick Easter came within an ace of breaking through the All Black backline to score, denied only by a last-gasp ankle tap.
England built up a head of steam on the New Zealand line, but could not force home their territorial advantage and a knock-on from Michael Lipman eventually eased the pressure on the visitors.
From that mistake Jimmy Cowan launched a rapid counter, but having tracked back Flood was then harshly carded for what was adjudged to be a high tackle on the scrum-half.
England continued to fight and managed to close the deficit shortly afterwards as Delon Armitage kicked a penalty following an infringement from Ali Williams - that penalty the only second half points New Zealand conceded on during the Tests on their tour.
But as they had done throughout their European jaunt, New Zealand moved up a gear as they entered the final quarter and finally breached the England line on 58 minutes.
The try came after the New Zealand pack had produced a huge shove to win a scrum against the head and the ball was quickly spun out wide via Conrad Smith, Nonu and Joe Rokocoko to Muliaina who dived over in the corner.
Carter missed the conversion but quickly added another penalty as Easter was spotted using hands illegally.
Just two minutes later the mercurial fly-half produced a dinked kick forward which looped ideally into the hands of Muliaina who sped over into the same corner for his second try of the afternoon.
New Zealand saved their best for last, though, as hooker Kevan Mealamu made a superb break in midfield before offloading to Rokocoko who in turn released Nonu, allowing the centre to storm 60 metres to put the gloss on another hugely efficient display.
There was still time for substitute Tom Rees to become the fourth England man to be shown the yellow card, but while the hosts could feel rather harshly treated by the officials, there was no doubting the superiority of the All Blacks.