New Zealand 44 England 12:EVERYTHING IS relative in rugby, as in life. England have probably had worse nights during a marathon season that has yielded eight defeats in 17 Test matches but it was Graham Henry who best summed up the past two weekends.
Did he expect South Africa and Australia to pose a greater challenge? "For sure," replied Henry instantly, his diplomatic mask slipping just enough to expose the blunt truth that England have flattered only to deceive since reaching the World Cup final last October.
To listen to Rob Andrew after Saturday's second Test here in Christchurch, though, you would have thought England had lost by the odd point. It was left to the players to tell it straighter.
James Haskell used the word "embarrassing" while Jamie Noon admitted he felt "a little bit lost" in tandem with his midfield partner Mike Tindall, and Tom Rees sought no excuses: "It's an easy option to go on about how intense everything is here ... we were a bit naive and we need to be more assertive and bloody-minded. We need to learn from this experience so that during the autumn internationals we're a better team."
Their honesty was refreshing. Too many people in English rugby cling to flimsy positives when a hefty dose of realism is required. Here are some awkward questions: will anyone, ultimately, accept responsibility for the team's collective shortcomings? Are England's players being sufficiently well coached? Why did the All Black debutant Richard Kahui and Ma'a Nonu look comfortable together on first acquaintance while Noon and Tindall, both experienced internationals, appeared to be virtual strangers?
Why do Kiwi wings take their chances while their English counterparts struggle to do so? And what will Martin Johnson make of a side that goes 20-0 down in the first half-hour, loses by 32 points and still claims to have played better than the previous week?
The self-delusion of certain Twickenham figures can be breathtaking.
It will instead fall to Johnson to shake things up, as he surely will. In a way this game summed up England's recurring problems, namely the paucity of skill outside the pack, defensive fragility, a lack of attacking clarity and the shortage of game-breaking forwards beyond Haskell, Rees, the absent Simon Shaw and the injured Andrew Sheridan.
The scrum went well enough, as did the lineout, but comparisons between the artistry of Dan Carter and the English painting-by-numbers backline efforts were uncomfortable.
To say Danny Cipriani was much missed would be an understatement. Carter pulled the strings so expertly, however, that it will take someone seriously special to overtake him as the world's top outhalf.
"He's gone from being a very good defensive player to a real threat with the ball. He's in a real purple patch at the moment," purred Henry.
England's defence coach, Mike Ford, was equally impressed.
"He stretches defences out because he has so many options. The beauty of him is that he can pick any of them at the last minute."
In further mitigation, England's back row again worked tirelessly. Danny Care was a buzzing presence at scrumhalf and Mathew Tait showed flashes of his ability. He also departed early with a nasty cut to the inside of his mouth caused by Kahui's head. He was lucky to escape with six stitches. Also, Toby Flood has a damaged shoulder joint, Olly Barkley a sore wrist and tight hamstring, Luke Narraway a bad ankle.
But New Zealand lost their best ball-winning forwards, Richie McCaw and Ali Williams, with ankle injuries in the first half and barely stumbled. England's policy of picking two brick outhouses in midfield backfired almost at once as Carter skipped past Noon and swivelled a delicious pass to Kahui for the opening score.
Had Varndell, as he should have, scored in the left corner and Tait not spilt another try-scoring chance, it might have been less painful. Yet England conceded 18 penalties in total and two tries from simple scrum moves.
Care and Varndell did touch down in the second half but New Zealand racked up five tries without really getting out of second gear in the final half-hour. "We've learned a lesson," said Noon. Too right.
NEW ZEALAND: L MacDonald; S Sivivatu, R Kahui, M Nonu, R Wulf; D Carter (S Donald, 74), A Ellis (J Cowan, 68); N Tialata (T Woodcock, 40), A Hore ( Mealamu, 50), G Somerville; B Thorn, A Williams (Boric, 15); A Thomson, R McCaw (capt) S Lauaki, 28), R So'oialo.
ENGLAND: M Tait (P Richards, 73); T Ojo, M Tindall, J Noon, T Varndell; T Flood (O Barkley, 30), D Care; T Payne, L Mears (D Paice, 76); M Stevens (Hobson, 72), T Palmer (B Kay, 69); S Borthwick (capt), J Haskell, T Rees (J Worsley, 53), L Narraway (T Croft, 57). Sin-bin: Tindall, 61. Attendance: 25,600.
Referee: J Kaplan (South Africa).
