MARTIN Johnson is determined to ensure the "heartache" of England's hat-trick of comprehensive autumn Test defeats to Australia, South Africa and New Zealand will not have been in vain. But the straight-talking manager has been left under no illusions just how far England trail the world's best after another frustrating performance.
The All Blacks completed a third Grand Slam tour of the British Isles with their biggest-ever Twickenham victory over England, a 32-6 win secured with two second-half tries from Mils Muliaina, a third from Ma'a Nonu and Dan Carter's 17 points.
Eng
land competed better than at any point in the autumn. They rocked New Zealand with their physicality, secured quick ball at the breakdown and Nick Kennedy performed impressively in the lineout. Shortly before the hour mark England were in touch at 12-6.
But ultimately England were undone yet again by a gross lack of discipline. Four players – Lee Mears, James Haskell, Toby Flood and Tom Rees – were sin-binned leaving them short-handed for 33 minutes. Had Carter not missed five shots at goal the match would have been over as a contest far earlier.
"It has been a tough five weeks," said Johnson. "But it has also been good, we have no illusions where we are and the players will be better for the series. The more you do it, and when you see the guys take the All Blacks on, the more you think it is worth the heartache and the pain to get there."
Scorers: England: Pens: Flood, Armitage. New Zealand: Tries: Muliaina 2, Nonu. Cons: Carter. Pens: Carter 5.
England: Armitage; Sackey, Noon, Flutey, Monye; Flood, Care; Payne, Mears, Vickery, Borthwick, Kennedy, Haskell, Lipman, Easter. Replacements: Hipkiss for Sackey (73), Cipriani for Noon (75), Ellis for Care (60), Hartley for Mears (67), Stevens for Vickery (53), Rees for Lipman (58), Croft for Easter (67). Yellow cards: Mears (24), Haskell (32), Flood (43), Rees (76). New Zealand: Muliaina; Rokocoko, Smith, Nonu, Sivivatu; Carter, Cowan; Woodcock, Mealamu, Tialata, Thorn, Williams, Kaino, McCaw, So'oialo. Replacements: Toeava for Smith (69), Weepu for Cowan (70), Afoa for Tialata (56), Reid for Kaino (56). Not used: Elliot, Boric, Donald.
Referee: A Rowlands (Ireland). Att: 81,180
The full article contains 384 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
