Welcome to the Evening Standard’s LIVE coverage of the Rugby World Cup semi-finals as England face New Zealand in Yokohama.
England made a sensational start to their World Cup semi-final against New Zealand with a try after just 97 seconds. A relentless passage of power-play rugby ended with centre Manu Tuilagi crashing over for a try that Owen Farrell converted, and England led 7-0.
England thought they had increased their lead in the 25th-minute when flanker Sam Underhill sprinted over New Zealand’s line unopposed, but the score was ruled out for Tom Curry crossing in front of a New Zealand player during build-up play.
It was a let-off for the All Blacks as England continued to impress and superb work led to a penalty just before half-time, which George Ford put between the posts leaving the score 10-0 at half-time – and Ford kicked another penalty after the break to go 13-0 up.
Stay tuned to Standard Sport for all the action, results and latest news from Japan as Eddie Jones’ side aim for a spot in the final…
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FULL TIME
FULL TIME! | England 19-7 New Zealand |
England are in the World Cup final!
There’s the gong…
80 mins: Turnover ball! England have it as we tick into the final minute of regulation.
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PENALTY!
78 mins: Yep, George Ford will go for the posts.
But he’s missed it wide! And New Zealand will catch and run it back again.
77 mins: But it’s England who have it, and deep in New Zealand territory, too.
No advantage, but we’ll come all the way back for an England penalty. More points, or corner and try to keep the ball?
76 mins: Clock eating away. It’s do or die for the All Blacks. They need two tries.
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74 mins: Owen Farrell has been playing on one leg for about 50 minutes now, but he is just a machine. He makes the initial tackle about ten yards in field, but somehow gets his man in touch.
Jonathan Joseph is on for the tryscorer, Manu Tuilagi.
72 mins: Unbelievable. England will not be denied. New Zealand come streaming forward, a brilliant, flowing attack, Dane Coles into the 22, but not only does Mark Wilson get across, he gets over the top and wins a huge penalty.
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71 mins: Sam Underhill’s epic shift is over. Wilson is on for England, as iw Cowan-Dickie.
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PENALTY!
PENALTY! | England 19-7 New Zealand | Ford pen 70′
More indiscipline from New Zealand. Brodie Retallick in at the side of the maul. Another warning, this time a final one, from Nigel Owens, that the sin bin is waiting for someone.
George Ford takes his time, eating some clock as he prepares the kick… nailed it!
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68 mins: That won’t cheer him up. He’s been dragged. Patrick Tuipulotu is on.
67 mins: A bit tasty. England think they’ve turned it over, but Nigel Owens says they’ve played it on the floor and New Zealand have the penalty.
Now though, Whitelock has shoved Farrell away, clocking him in the face, probably unintentionally, but that means it’ll be an England penalty. Whitelock, by the way, has been poor, and the frustration is surely growing.
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64 mins: Ben Youngs is off, replaced at scrum half by Willi Heinz.
Ardie Savea is down needing some treatment for the All Blacks, which is a problem because Sam Cane, the natural replacement, has already come on, so they might need a reshuffle.
PENALTY!
PENALTY! | England 16-7 New Zealand | George Ford 63′
63 mins: Daly was absolutely screaming for it out wide but it comes too slowly. Still, they burrow away, and get the penalty as New Zealand come up too quick.
George Ford says the points will do, and England’s lead is back to two scores.
60 mins: What a hit from Underhill!
Bridge is sent packing, helpless, by a monster hit and here come England again, in possession, up to the line.
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TRY!
TRY! | England 13-7 New Zealand | Ardie Savea 58′
Oh dear.
A hammer blow. Itoje doesn’t get the lift from behind and the ball sails over him, allowing Savea to pounce off the back of the lineout and dive over. Game on.
The extras are good from Mo’unga.
56 mins: Here’s the first real New Zealand pressure of the half.
Tossed wide to Reece, but a combination of Tuilagi and Slade get across to force him into touch.
Nigel Owens wants a look at Slade’s tackle. Does he lead with the shoulder? I think he’s trying to get his arm round and it just flays away off the All Black. Yep, no problems there.
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55 mins: Changes afoot for both sides. Sonny Bill Williams and TJ Perenara are on for the All Balcks, George Kruis into the fray for England.
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53 mins: That is so, so good from Sevu Reece. The space is there again in behind for the grubber and he’s got Slade breathing down his neck, but somehow takes it cleanly to deal with the danger.
PENALTY!
PENALTY! | England 13-0 New Zealand | Ford pen 50′
Cane is called for a tackle off the ball on Vunipola, and England have a penalty bang in front.
Nigel Owens is warning New Zealand that a card is coming next time, because they’ve had a few of those. This time George Ford takes the points.
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Rugby World Cup fixtures and results
| Sept 20 | Japan 30-10 Russia | Pool A, Tokyo | Report |
| Sept 21 | Australia 39-21 Fiji | Pool D, Sapporo | Report |
| Sept 21 | France 23-21 Argentina | Pool C, Tokyo | Report |
| Sept 21 | New Zealand 23-13 South Africa | Pool B, Yokohama | Report |
| Sept 22 | Italy 47-22 Namibia | Pool B, Osaka | Report |
| Sept 22 | Ireland 27-3 Scotland | Pool A, Yokohama | Report |
| Sept 22 | England 35-3 Tonga | Pool C, Sapporo | Report |
| Sept 23 | Wales 43-14 Georgia | Pool D, Toyota City | Report |
| Sept 24 | Russia 9-34 Samoa | Pool A, Kumagaya | Report |
| Sept 25 | Fiji 27-30 Uruguay | Pool D, Kamaishi | Report |
| Sept 26 | Italy 48-7 Canada | Pool B, Fukuoka | Report |
| Sept 26 | England 45-7 USA | Pool C, Kobe | Report |
| Sept 28 | Argentina 28-12 Tonga | Pool C, Higashiosaka | Report |
| Sept 28 | Japan 19-2 Ireland | Pool A, Shizuoka | Report |
| Sept 28 | South Africa 53-7 Namibia | Pool B, Toyota City | Report |
| Sept 29 | Georgia 33-7 Uruguay | Pool D, Kumagaya | Report |
| Sept 29 | Australia 25-29 Wales | Pool D, Tokyo | Report |
| Sept 30 | Scotland 34-0 Samoa | Pool A, Kobe | Report |
| Oct 2 | France 33-9 USA | Pool C, Fukuoka | Report |
| Oct 2 | New Zealand 63-0 Canada | Pool B, Oita | Report |
| Oct 3 | Georgia 10-45 Fiji | Pool D, Higashiosaka | Report |
| Oct 3 | Ireland 35-0 Russia | Pool A, Kobe | Report |
| Oct 4 | South Africa 49-3 Italy | Pool B, Shizuoka | Report |
| Oct 5 | Australia 45-10 Uruguay | Pool D, Oita | Report |
| Oct 5 | England 39-10 Argentina | Pool C, Tokyo | Report |
| Oct 5 | Japan 38-19 Samoa | Pool A, Toyota City | Report |
| Oct 6 | New Zealand 71-9 Namibia | Pool B, Tokyo | Report |
| Oct 6 | France 23-21 Tonga | Pool C, Kumamoto | Report |
| Oct 8 | South Africa 66-7 Canada | Pool B, Kobe | Report |
| Oct 9 | Argentina 47-17 USA | Pool C, Kumagaya | Report |
| Oct 9 | Scotland 61-0 Russia | Pool A, Shizuoka | Report |
| Oct 9 | Wales 29-17 Fiji | Pool D, Oita | Report |
| Oct 11 | Australia 27-8 Georgia | Pool D, Shizuoka | Report |
| OFF | New Zealand 0-0 Italy | OFF | OFF |
| OFF | England 0-0 France | OFF | OFF |
| Oct 12 | Ireland vs Samoa | Pool A, Fukuoka | Report |
| OFF | Namibia 0-0 Canada | OFF | OFF |
| Oct 13 | USA 19-31 Tonga | Pool C, Higashiosaka | Report |
| Oct 13 | Wales 35-13 Uruguay | Pool D, Kumamoto | Report |
| Oct 13 | Japan 28-21 Scotland | Pool A, Yokohama | Report |
| Oct 19 | England v Australia | QF 1, Oita | Report |
| Oct 19 | New Zealand v Ireland | QF 2, Tokyo | Report |
| Oct 20 | Wales v France | QF 3, Oita | Report |
| Oct 20 | Japan v South Africa | QF 4, Tokyo | Report |
| Oct 26 | England v New Zealand | SF 1, Yokohama | 9am |
| Oct 27 | Wales v South Africa | SF 2, Yokohama | 9am |
| Nov 1 | Loser SF 1 v Loser SF 2 | Third place play-off, Tokyo | 9am |
| Nov 2 | Final | Yokohama | 9am |
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