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New Zealand and England have played 36 Tests matches since 1905. The All Blacks have won 28 of them, but there have many classic tussles over the years.
Are these the five best games?
2 December, 1905: Crystal Palace, London
New Zealand: 15 (Duncan McGregor 4, Fred Newton tries) England: 0
The first Test between the two countries was moved from Blackheath to the larger National Sports Centre in Crystal Palace. The official attendance was 45,000, but an estimated 70,000 flocked to see the famous ‘Originals’.
With devastating effect, the All Blacks employed a deliberate strategy of quick short-side attacks. Billy Stead was a menace in midfield and winger Duncan McGregor scored four tries, two in each half.
McGregor was a try-scoring sensation. He touched down 16 times in 14 games on tour and scored a total of 66 tries in 59 first class matches. Only Marc Ellis (6 v Japan in 1995) and Jeff Wilson (5 v Fiji in 1997) have scored more tries in a Test for the All Blacks since.
McGregor later became a Kiwis international and a life member of New Zealand rugby league. He died broke in 1947. McGregor had an unmarked grave at the Timaru cemetery for 58 years.
In 2005, policeman and rugby enthusiast Steve Wills started a fund-raising campaign which resulted in a gravestone being erected in McGregor’s memory.
The whistle used by the referee, Gil Evans, in this match has been used to start the opening match of every Rugby World Cup tournament. Between tournaments, the whistle is housed at the New Zealand Rugby Museum in Palmerston North.
4 January, 1936: Twickenham, London
England: 13 (Alexander Obolensky 2, Hal Sever tires; Peter Cranmer 1 drop goal) New Zealand: 0
England’s first win against the All Blacks was notable for the performance of Russian Prince Alexander Obolensky. The Obolensky family moved to England during the 1917 revolution and Alexander quickly established himself as a fine rugby player. He scored a world record 17 tries for an English selection against Brazil in 1936.
That same year, the 19-year old scored two memorable tries against the All Blacks. The first was a 40-metre sprint to finish a sweeping team movement, the second was one of the greatest tries ever scored at Twickenham and was captured by ESPN Scrum writer, Tom Hamilton:
Obolensky took a pass from wide on the right but his path was blocked. He veered left to avoid would-be tackler Mitchell and just kept going, leaving All Black defenders utterly bemused and wrong-footed, so far left that he might have been ushered into touch had he not turned inside, again untouched, and scored on the left, in Twickenham’s north-west corner.
Obolensky was an RAF fighter pilot during the war and was unfortunately one of 111 rugby internationals killed.
This match was also notable for the number of eclectic personalities in involved.
On the English side, Doug Kendrew was an esteemed war general who was later governor of Western Australia. Tuppy Owen Smith was a Rhodes Scholar from South Africa who was the 1930 Wisden cricketer of the year and an accomplished boxer.
Representing the All Blacks was Pat Caughey, the first All Black to receive a knighthood. Nelson Ball, the father of Murray Ball, who wrote Footrot Flats, and Eric Tindall who played Test cricket and subsequently refereed Test match rugby and umpired Test match cricket. He was the oldest living All Black until 2010, when he died aged 99.
4 November, 1967: Twickenham, London
New Zealand: 23 (Earle Kirton 2, Bill Birtwistle Chris Laidlaw tries; Fergie McCormick 4 conversions) England: 11 (Bob Lloyd 2 tries; Don Rutherford 1 conversion, Peter Larter 1 penalty)
The first rugby Test broadcast in colour on television was a grand occasion. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh met the teams before kick-off, then the All Blacks proceeded to produce one of their great performances.
New Zealand scored a then-record 23 points against England, 18 by halftime, playing what Cliff Morgan described as, “some of the best rugby I have seen.”
Flanker Graham Williams was outstanding on debut, as was first five-eighth Earle Kirton. The latter recalls:
We had played stereotypical, no-risk football for much of the decade. In 64 the All Blacks drew 0-0 against Scotland. In 67 that approach changed. The shackles were broken by Charlie Saxton, one of the greatest little men who ever existed in rugby, and Fred Allen who encouraged a running game.
Kirton scored two tries as a rampant pack, featuring Bruce McLeod, Colin Meads and Kel Tremain, totally dominated England; Kirton expands:
Our forwards were unbelievable that day, 20 years ahead of the game. I remember in that Test we wore Umbro’s shorts, which were the first All Black shorts to feature pockets. Laidlaw would just stand there with his hands in his pockets waiting for the ball to be cleared as the forwards powered on like a locomotive.
Kirton also singled out his Otago teammate Chris Laidlaw for praise.
Laidlaw was brilliant, quite shy and hard on himself, but brilliant. He would dispatch bullets to the backs that hurt your hands. I remember the first try I scored in that game, Laidlaw whipped a ball out towards Bill Davis and me, I just looked at Bill, he took the pass and gave it back inside to me for a try. Laidlaw’s pass created the outside break that led to the try.
The 1967 All Blacks were unbeaten on their 17-match UK tour. Kirton was carried off Twickenham by appreciative teammates and fans. He played every Test for the next three years.
15 September, 1973: Eden Park, Auckland
England: 16 (Tony Neary, Peter Squires, Stack Stevens tries; Peter Rossborough 2 conversions) New Zealand: 10 (Grant Batty, Ian Hurst tries; Robert Lendrum 1 conversion)
New Zealand were overwhelming favourites to win this game, played on an overcast day in front of 56,000 spectators. England had lost all three lead-up games to Taranaki, Canterbury and Wellington.
However John Brooks wrote in the Rothmans Rugby Year Book: “England played with admirable efficiency; while New Zealand showed a lack of tactical appreciation… It was the All Blacks’ poorest display in an international for years.”
England, playing ten-man rugby, controlled the second half and two costly mistakes by debutant Bob Lendrum cost New Zealand the match. In the 48th minute Lendrum missed touch and Stevens scored. Then, in the 75th minute, Lendrum misjudged a bounce and England gathered the ball, leading to a Neary try.
Lendrum never played a Test for the All Blacks again, but was a centurion for Counties Manukau. When Neary retired in 1980 he held the record for most Test caps for England with 43.
Neary toured New Zealand in 1977 with the British Lions, but was jailed for theft in February 1998 after admitting stealing money from a trust fund of millionaire friend John Gorna.
This Test was the first All Blacks television commentary for Keith Quinn, a legend in New Zealand rugby, and England’s first win in New Zealand.
England has only won twice in New Zealand. In 2003, with 13 men for 20 minutes, England beat the All Blacks 15-13 in Wellington. Jonny Wilkinson kicked five penalties.
18 June, 1995: Newlands, Cape Town (World Cup semi-final)
New Zealand: 45 (Jonah Lomu 4, Graham Bachop, Josh Kronfeld tries; Andrew Mehrtens 3 conversions, 1 penalty, 1 drop goal, Zinzan Brooke 1 dg) England: 29 (Will Carling 2, Rory Underwood 2 tries; Rob Andrew 3 conversions, 1 penalty)
Men in Black notes: “The scoreline doesn’t record the majesty of the All Black victory and neither does the notation that Lomu scored four tries indicate just what a powerful force he was on the match and, as a result, on the psyche of the rugby world.”
Lomu produced his greatest performance, steamrolling Mike Catt, fending off Tony Underwood and completely mesmerising the sporting world with his power and pace.
The All Blacks stormed to a 35-3 lead, before tailing off to ease into the World Cup final.
Lomu scored 8 tries in 7 Tests against England and a record 15 tries in 11 World Cup matches.
Lomu, Duncan McGregor (1905) and Welshmen Willie Llewellyn (1899) and Maurice Richards (1969) are the only individuals to score four tries in a Test against England.
Lomu said in My Story:
I never set out thinking: I’m going to smash them today. I’m going to score heaps of tries… Rugby is a team game…
As far as Mike Catt goes, I still feel a bit sorry for him. We both have to live with that try. I get sick of seeing it relayed year after year. I can’t imagine how he feels.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.