Steve Borthwick has paid tribute to nan perseverance and characteristic of George Ford aft England’s awesome 33-18 victory complete nan All Blacks. Twelve months ago, Ford narrowly grounded to clinch a location triumph successful this aforesaid fixture, but was a pivotal fig connected Saturday arsenic his broadside gained their revenge pinch a first triumph complete New Zealand successful south-west London since 2012.
“George is simply a superb player, an outstanding leader and an moreover amended person,” nan caput coach said aft nan fly-half contributed 13 points to seal his team’s 10th successive Test triumph this year. “I cognize you for illustration to talk astir 12 months agone and nan shot hitting a post. But erstwhile he pulls connected nan England garment he is conscionable specified a accordant performer.
“He made superb decisions and executed perfectly. I americium pleased for him and each nan players. They should bask themselves coming and person a bully nighttime out.”
Ford’s all-round tactical assurance and calm were exemplified by nan 2 first-half driblet goals that shifted nan momentum of nan title aft nan All Blacks had taken an early 12-0 lead. “It was ever portion of nan plan,” Ford said. “You want to travel distant pinch thing erstwhile you get to that extremity of nan pitch. Sometimes nan driblet extremity is nan measurement to spell … it’s important to get rewards for nan activity nan forwards are doing.”
Ford and Borthwick were besides heartened by England’s assurance successful nan last 4th arsenic they pulled distant to grounds their ninth triumph complete New Zealand successful nan agelong history of nan fixture. Borthwick believes his squad person further betterment successful them and besides highlighted Maro Itoje’s eve-of crippled motivational speech.

“I heard him reside nan squad this morning,” said Borthwick. “He talked astir erstwhile nan squad were 14 aliases 15-year-old boys, dreaming of playing for England and playing present against teams for illustration New Zealand. He asked nan players to spell retired and play pinch that intent of a 14 aliases 15-year-old pinch a dream. The boys took those dreams connected to nan transportation coming and they were outstanding.
“We cognize [an improved world] ranking helps, but this isn’t astir that. This is astir trying to execute typical moments and typical memories and coming is 1 of them. Hopefully, there’s a load of young early rugby players watching astir nan state who want to deterioration nan achromatic garment and get awesome victories.”
Itoje said England had been keen to make a connection moreover earlier nan crippled kicked disconnected by opinionated up to nan haka. “As a group of leaders we came up pinch what you guys saw. We were trying to execute nan aforesaid point they were trying to achieve.
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“The haka is simply a warfare creation they do to get themselves up for nan game. I cognize it has a immense belief meaning to New Zealand. Our consequence was conscionable to show ourselves, nan squad and nan Allianz Stadium that we’re fresh for nan challenge.”
The All Blacks caput coach, Scott Robertson, acknowledged his broadside had been beaten by nan amended broadside connected nan day. “They vanished amended than us,” he said. “We had immoderate really bully opportunities we didn’t take. It is difficult to triumph a expansive slam and we decidedly cognize really difficult it is now. We wanted to put our names connected that history board, but we didn’t get there.”
His captain, Scott Barrett, felt similarly. “The expansive slam was a extremity we group a fewer weeks ago, but England pulled nan rug from nether us. It is hugely disappointing, but we will person to bounce back. You person sewage to return your chapeau disconnected to England for their defence – it is simply a large portion of their DNA.”
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