That performance ranks as one of the great self delusional comebacks of all time. Having been smashed at the breakdown, walloped in the collisions, half baked in the set piece and bereft of any attacking nous or attacking game plan for 70 mins, Eddie’s clique manage to sneak a draw against a very average 14 man All Blacks.
The fact that Smith kicked the ball out for a draw at the end (and Jones was beaming shaking everyone’s hands) says everything about the mentality of this set up - fear. There was nothing on this game and the All Blacks were there for the taking - a side with courage and belief would have tried to win.
I also thought it summed up the lack of real competitiveness in the Prem nicely. The step up in level was too much for a slow and lumbering Billy V, so used to an armchair ride, and Itoje was ill disciplined and average. Too used to easy games, the Prem lacks the quality to test top players week in week out and it’s beginning to show.
PS - Dan Robson must have watched in disbelief. In his prime easily the best 9 in England, Jones only ever allowed him 10 odd mins. Van Portvliet turned in the worst performance by an England nine I think I’ve ever seen having walked into the side. Any pretension to picking on form or class that EJ may have protested is now an absolute myth - if you’ve got friends in high places who can get you into the club you’ll go far..
Always a Wasp