England 22-24 New Zealand: All Blacks edge out hosts thanks to Mark Tele’a try

England’s defence failed to match that coordination and intent. After nine minutes, on their first real attack, New Zealand sliced through all too easily.

Flanker Wallace Sititi drew Tommy Freeman and George Furbank on the short side before flipping an offload to Tele’a, who cruised around covering prop Ellis Genge and into the corner.

New Zealand’s second try – on 27 minutes – was another eyesore for new England defence coach Joe El-Abd.

Beauden Barrett jagged blind, leaving England short-staffed before Jordan cut back on a scissors angle to canter past Genge, exposed once more against pace.

That body blow moved the All Blacks 14-6 clear and the game already looked perilously close to slipping into southern hemisphere hands.

But England hung tough. Their scrum, under pressure in the summer, was a source of strength, earning penalties and a solid supply of ball. They imposed themselves in contact, with Chandler Cunningham-South landing a shuddering hit on Tupou Vaa’i before exhorting more noise from the stands.

And New Zealand’s indiscipline, frequently hitting players without the ball on the gain-line, allowed them a route back into the game with another two Smith penalties.

New Zealand still bristled with danger when afforded space. The superb Sititi surged through broken field and almost laid on a third try just before half-time, with Vaa’i just unable to reel in his pass with the line beckoning.

The All Blacks though have had a habit of fading out of games in the Rugby Championship this year, and a prime piece of pickpocketing from Smith seized the initiative early in the second half.

The England fly-half grabbed Cortez Ratima’s sluggish pass, sprinted clear and the ball was smuggled out to Feyi-Waboso who cantered in for 19-14.