Rugby World Cup: England cannot play any better this… luckily, in the final, they probably won’t need to
THIS was not merely magnificent from Eddie Jones’ England.
It was jaw-droppingly, breath- takingly, head-shakingly so.
Absolute perfection is impossible in a sport as chaotic as rugby.
But this was as close as it gets.
It was off the scale. As good a performance as you will ever see from an England side in any major team sport. That good.
And at the final whistle, the Red Rose heroes barely even celebrated it.
They still have business to attend to. A World Cup final against South Africa or Wales here in Yokohama on Saturday.
It is a match Jones promised England would win as soon as he took the head coach’s job in 2015, in the aftermath of a traumatic first-round exit on home soil at the last World Cup.
This cocksure Aussie has suffered plenty of serious setbacks over the past couple of years but his belief has been unshakeable.
And, f*** me Doris, it turns out he was right.
He is some piece of work, Jones — a larrikin wind-up merchant, a clairvoyant and a tactical mastermind all rolled into one.
Jones and his players had spoken bullishly all week, despite the All Blacks having won 18 consecutive World Cup matches.
And then they burst out of the gates scoring their only legal try within 96 seconds through Manu Tuilagi.
England’s powerhouse centre had been man of the match the last time England defeated the All Blacks in 2012 and he was one of several heroes in this glorious semi-final.
In the land of Godzilla, Maro Itoje gave a towering display.
Sam Underhill and Mako Vunipola, their lilywhite shirts splattered in claret, were complete warriors.
Farrell was outstanding, despite playing on one leg for the majority of the match.
George Ford took over the kicking duties and landed four penalties, including a nerveless 40-yarder from out wide which virtually secured victory.
To think that none of this England squad had won a World Cup knockout match until last weekend’s hammering of Australia.
And that they had blown high-pressure Six Nations contests in Dublin in 2017 and in Cardiff this year.
But in this ultimate test of bottle, England could not have prevailed more impressively.
They could and should have won by 25 points or more.
Ben Youngs had a brilliant try controversially disallowed, Underhill was also denied by the TMO and New Zealand scored on pretty much their only serious attack, when Jamie George’s throw gifted a try to Ardie Savea.
Jones has got his selections spot-on this week and last, dropping the in-form Ford for the Australia game but restoring him here, with Farrell switching to centre.
The result was England’s first-ever World Cup victory over New Zealand. And it wasn’t even close.
Ford missed a drop goal but when Tuilagi forced a penalty just before half-time, Ford landed the kick as Farrell seemingly struggled with a dead leg.
All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen, who steps down after Friday’s third-place play-off, was left so frustrated he virtually offered a journalist out for a fight, when it was suggested his side might not have been sufficiently hungry.
England’s appetite was obvious from the word go.
Elliot Daly and Anthony Watson led a break, then after a flowing crossfield passing sequence, Courtney Lawes was halted close to the line.
In the next phase, though, Tuilagi ploughed over.
England continued to pin back the All Blacks and Jonny May was unusually hesitant when given a sight of the line after Tuilagi intercepted a Beauden Barrett pass.
Itoje was everywhere, winning a turnover, stealing a line-out and generally battering the New Zealanders.
Underhill had a try disallowed — just as he had against the All Blacks at Twickenham in November — because of a Tom Curry obstruction.
Remarkably, it was only the second time in 20 years New Zealand had failed to score in a first half.
Daly was wide with a long-range penalty but Itoje seized possession close to the New Zealand line and England thought they had a second try when a brilliant Youngs dummy took out Aaron Smith and Anton Lienert-Brown.
Yet after Youngs darted over, the TMO Marius Jonker ruled out the effort for a supposed knock-on in the preceding maul.
May and Sinckler were forced off early in the second period, replaced by Henry Slade and Dan Cole, but Ford soon slotted over another penalty.
Finally, though, the All Blacks were roused as an attacking force and Sevu Reece made a burst for the corner, where he was halted by Slade, who escaped without punishment on a TMO review. Yet from the line-out, George produced England’s only serious error, tossing it straight to Savea, who eased over.
Richie Mo’unga added the extras but if it felt like a turning point, no one told Underhill.
The flanker rocked back Jordie Barrett with a big hit, forcing a turnover and Ford was soon landing a simple penalty for 16-7.
Ford then extended England’s advantage with a sweet strike from 40 yards.
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And replacement flanker Mark Wilson produced a key turnover, underlining Jones’ point that his finishing players were as key as his starters.
Now England must prepare for a World Cup final, knowing they have already produced the performance of their lives.
They surely cannot get any better than this. They probably won’t need to be.