New Zealand find a way after England make some dents in tourists’ aura

All Blacks leave it late at Twickenham but watching world will take note of their diminished air of invincibility

Another win, they will say, and this one in the lair of a major competitor. What’s more, these All Blacks demonstrate once again the priceless advantage of insight and precision – in short a natural affinity for the finer arts of a sport with such a premium on power.

But the wider rugby world may feel that another fleck of paint has been chipped off the black sheen. Not so much by England – although they were plenty responsible for roughing up their visitors – but by the way the All Blacks could outscore them three tries to one and still have to rely on opposition inaccuracy to hold on for the win.