England's Last-Minute Loss To All Blacks, Scotland Dominates Fiji
England's Last-Minute Loss To All Blacks, Scotland Dominates Fiji
England falls 24-22 to New Zealand in the Autumn Nations opener, while Scotland dominates Fiji with a commanding 57-17 win at Murrayfield.
The Autumn Nations Series kicked off with a weekend of intense rugby action, as England narrowly missed victory against New Zealand, and Scotland put on a commanding display to dismantle Fiji.
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At Allianz Stadium, England came excruciatingly close to overcoming the All Blacks, ultimately losing 24-22 in a nail-biting finish.
New Zealand regained control late in the game when Mark Tele’a crossed the line for his second try, giving the visitors a slim advantage.
In the dying minutes, England had a golden opportunity to reclaim the lead when Anton Lienert-Brown was penalized for a dangerous tackle on Theo Dan. However, George Ford’s 77th-minute penalty struck the right upright, and his last-chance drop-goal attempt missed the mark, sealing England's fate and delivering a heartbreaking start to the Autumn Nations Series campaign.
The contest already was charged with intensity before kickoff, largely due to England prop Joe Marler’s pre-match dismissal of the Haka as “ridiculous.”
Although New Zealand captain Scott Barrett hinted at a fierce response, the All Blacks took time to find their rhythm.
England’s persistence and strong scrummaging kept things competitive, with fly-half Marcus Smith scoring several crucial penalties to keep England within reach. His creative play also was pivotal in setting up Immanuel Feyi-Waboso’s try, which briefly swung momentum in England’s favor.
The All Blacks, however, capitalized on defensive lapses to make the most of their chances.
In the first half, Wallace Sititi’s deft offload enabled Tele’a to score his first try, while Jordie Barrett later broke through England’s line to create another, reminding the home side of New Zealand’s relentless attacking threat.
England trailed 14-12 at halftime but came out strongly in the second half, with Smith intercepting a pass from Cortez Ratima and setting up Feyi-Waboso to score. A penalty from Damian McKenzie and Ford’s missed kicks in the closing minutes ultimately allowed New Zealand to escape with a hard-fought win.
Over in Edinburgh, Scotland showcased its dominance with a resounding 57-17 win over Fiji at Murrayfield.
Star winger Darcy Graham stole the show with four tries, temporarily tying Scotland’s all-time try-scoring record with fellow wing Duhan van der Merwe, who regained his spot with a late try. Scotland’s emphatic performance delivered a resounding statement to kick off the series campaign.
The Scots hit the ground running, with Glasgow’s Sione Tuipulotu captaining the side, and fullback Kyle Rowe opening the scoring in the fourth minute.
Fiji’s defense struggled with discipline, suffering early yellow cards for scrum-half Frank Lomani and center Apisalome Vota.
Scotland took full advantage, running in four tries during Vota’s absence to secure a substantial lead.
Graham scored his first try in the 15th minute after an impressive setup by hooker Ewan Ashman, and he quickly followed with a second after Adam Hastings sent a well-placed kick to the right wing.
Although Scotland held a commanding 29-10 lead by halftime, Fiji showed signs of resilience, taking advantage of a yellow card issued to Ashman, scoring twice before halftime to close the gap.
Scotland’s lead was briefly threatened, but its backline’s speed and precision proved too much for the Fijians.
Graham added two more tries to his tally in the second half, earning raucous applause as he was substituted.
Van der Merwe’s late try and a final score by Huw Jones sealed Scotland’s eighth and final try, capping off a thoroughly dominant victory.
Looking ahead, England will face Australia, seeking to bounce back from its narrow defeat and reignite the campaign.
Meanwhile, Scotland’s confidence will be put to the test against world champion South Africa next weekend.
With both teams now well underway, the Autumn Nations Series promises even more thrilling battles, as England and Scotland set their sights on high-stakes matchups in the weeks to come.
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