England’s George Ford missed two last-gasp shots at goal and New Zealand held on to win a dramatic but scrappy autumn rugby series opener 24-22 at Twickenham on Saturday.
A brilliant solo try by wing Mark Tele’a, converted from the sideline by Damian McKenzie, regained New Zealand a two-point lead with three minutes to go.
But then Anton Lienert-Brown was sin-binned for a head-on-head tackle and Ford lined up an angled penalty kick from 40 meters with two to go.
It rebounded off the right post.
The hosts got a scrum in the 22, though, with the sell-out crowd of 82,000 baying England on, but New Zealand spoiled the scrum, and a rushed drop goal attempt by Ford after the 80-minute hooter flew well wide.
The All Blacks completed a hat trick of wins against England this year, by a combined 10 points.
Meanwhile, England was denied a first home win over the All Blacks since 2012.