High-quality international rugby came to The Rec in Bath on Saturday 8th November as England A faced the All Blacks XV.
England A on the pitch at The Rec during the playing of The Last Post before their game against the All Blacks XV | Photo © Richard Briggs
A capacity crowd of 14,509 saw the experienced tourists win 31-14 against a home nation that fielded three Bath Rugby players – centre Max Ojomoh, prop Vilikesa Sela and hooker Kepueli Tuipulotu.
On a glorious autumn afternoon, Ojomoh played the full match as vice-captain, Sela arrived from the bench in the 67th minute and Tuipulotu came on two minutes later.
But the visitors, with 36-Test All Black Sevu Reece the most eye-catching name in their line-up, outplayed England A and won the try count 5-2.
The All Blacks XV perform the haka before their match against England A at The Rec on Saturday 8th November | Photos © Richard Briggs
Some of the New Zealanders’ play truly was a joy to behold, although this fixture was their second of a three-match tour – which will end against Uruguay in France – whereas the hosts had come together as a squad as recently as Sunday 2nd November.
The All Blacks XV scored their first try in the 12th minute, Caleb Tangitau crossing in the right corner. Josh Jacomb was unable to convert.
Their second touchdown, in the 25th minute, was stunning. With England A pressing, Braydon Ennor intercepted a home pass on his own 22 and surged forward 20 metres to turn defence into deadly attack, the move ending with Jamie Hannah touching down to the left of the posts. Jacomb added the extras and the All Blacks XV led 12-0.
However, England A grabbed their first points in the 28th minute, Josh Hodge running in from 30 metres to score on the right after a superb pass from Charlie Atkinson. Hodge booted the conversion.
There was no further scoring until the 54th minute, when Folau Fakatava released Jacomb 15 metres out and the fly-half surged over on the left for a try he also converted.
The New Zealanders bagged their fourth try when, in the 64th minute, a fabulous move on the left was finished off near the posts by Rivez Reihana, Jacomb majoring.
The New Zealand flag is unfurled on The Rec pitch before the All Blacks XV’s match against England A | Photo © Richard Briggs
Then Fakatava scored in the right corner in the 76th minute, but Jacomb’s conversion attempt drifted just wide.
However, England A were not finished and, in the 78th minute, Joe Batley crashed over from short range in the right corner. A magnificent conversion from Hodge reduced the deficit to 31-14.
With the clock in the red, the All Blacks XV seemed to have added another try to their tally, Christian Lio-Willie touching down on the right. But with Jacomb waiting to take the two-point kick, the score was disallowed for a knock-on in the build-up. After announcing the decision, French referee Jeremy Rozier blew for full-time.
England A head coach Mark Mapletoft said at his post-match press conference that his players had “a brilliant experience” taking on the All Blacks XV.
He said: “We’re all competitive, we want to win. But I think you’ve got to keep pretty levelled, not too high, not too low.
“You’re not the best coach in the world when you win things and you’re not the worst when you don’t.
“I thought that was a brilliant experience for them, even for someone like Ethan Roots – he’s been capped, he’s been outstanding for Exeter this year, and he stepped up and led.
“Through the week, Joe Batley and his partner got their second child, and that created a little bit of disruption.
“And I thought the way the lads tried to work their way through it, credit to them.
“We probably could’ve been ahead in the game at half-time, didn’t take those opportunities, and then they got after our set-piece.
“A couple of nice tries. We left a couple of clear ones out there in the first half and didn’t create an awful amount in the second.
“Disappointed in the result but really pleased with some individual performances.
“I know the lads will be disappointed but they should be really proud of their efforts.
“There’ll definitely be some changes ahead of Spain [away on Saturday 15th November], and hopefully some really good learning opportunities, for not only the younger lads but some of those guys who are in their mid-20s, to take from today, the week, and move into next week.”
Before kick-off, spectators were treated to a performance of the haka by the New Zealanders and the singing of God Save The King by Bristol-based mezzo-soprano Marinella Phillips.
With the match falling on Remembrance weekend, a minute’s silence was observed and The Last Post was played.
The crowd showed impeccable respect during those poignant moments but were very noisy during the match. England A received tremendous backing, and the tourists’ play earned deserved appreciation.
Spectators broke out into Swing Low, Sweet Chariot too, although the playing of The Beatles’ Hey Jude across the public address system during a pause in play in the 71st minute resulted in a mass sing-a-long.
The glossy 60-page matchday programme contained plenty to interest Bath fans as it carried long interviews with Ojomoh and Tuipulotu.
All in all, despite the result, Bath and England A fans can reflect on a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.
England A starting XV: 1 Emmanuel Iyogun (Northampton Saints), 2 Jamie Blamire (Leicester Tigers), 3 Afolabi Fasogbon (Gloucester Rugby), 4 Tom Lockett (Northampton Saints), 5 Joe Batley (Bristol Bears), 6 Ethan Roots (Exeter Chiefs), 7 Tom Pearson (Northampton Saints), 8 Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs), 9 Archie McParland (Northampton Saints), 10 Charlie Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby), 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins (Leicester Tigers), 12 Max Ojomoh (Bath), 13 Angus Hall (Saracens), 14 Noah Caluori (Saracens), 15 Josh Hodge (Exeter Chiefs).
England A replacements: 16 Kepueli Tuipulotu (Bath), 17 Tarek Haffar (Leicester Tigers), 18 Vilikesa Sela (Bath), 19 Ben Bamber (Sale Sharks), 20 Fitz Harding (Bristol Bears), 21 Caolan Englefield (Gloucester Rugby), 22 Rekeiti Ma’asi-White (Sale Sharks), 23 Adam Radwan (Leicester Tigers).
All Blacks starting XV: 1 Xavier Numia, 2 Brodie McAlister, 3 George Dyer, 4 TK Howden, 5 Jamie Hannah, 6 Devan Flanders, 7 Dalton Papali’i, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 9 Kyle Preston, 10 Josh Jacomb, 11 Sevu Reece, 12 David Havili, 13 Braydon Ennor, 14 Caleb Tangitau, 15 Chay Fihaki.
All Blacks replacements: 16 Jack Taylor, 17 Josh Fusitu’a, 18 Siale Lauaki, 19 Josh Beehre, 20 Luke Jacobson, 21 Folau Fakatava, 22 Rivez Reihana, 23 Dallas McLeod.
