England Rugby-team narrowly lost to New Zealand in a heart-stopping 22-24 defeat at a packed Twickenham Stadium on November 2nd, 2024, as the All Blacks secured victory with a last-minute penalty.
In front of 82,000 fans, England began shakily, handling errors and missed tackles giving New Zealand early control. The All Blacks capitalised, pushing to a 14-7 lead by halftime, thanks to a well-timed try and precise kicking from their fly-half.
The second half saw a revitalised England rally, with powerful drives and sharper play closing the gap. By the final 10 minutes, England pushed ahead 22-21, thrilling the home crowd with a penalty and putting victory within arms length. But in the 78th minute, New Zealand’s composure shone through, as they secured a decisive penalty, edging ahead to 24-22. Despite England’s determined push in the closing moments, New Zealand’s defense held firm, sealing the hard-fought victory.
England’s penalty kicker, Marcus Smith, did an excellent job helping the England team stay close behind New Zealand throughout the match. While New Zealand’s ground defense and ability to block Englands tries was phenomenal, they could do nothing to stop Marcus Smith from hitting his penalty kicks on target.
This narrow loss will leave England eager to regroup, but it underscored the fierce skill and rivalry that international rugby brings to Twickenham. As the fans in the stadium could feel every moment of ferocity from the players eager to win and reciprocated with their deafening support for the players.
