CLIVE WOODWARD HAS blamed decisions to decline kickable penalties for England’s agonising 16-15 loss to world champions New Zealand at a rainswept Twickenham on Saturday.
Woodward, England’s coach when they won the 2003 World Cup final, added that current boss Eddie Jones ought to feel “cranky” with the defeat.
England swept into a shock 15-0 lead on the back of tries by Chris Ashton and co-captain Dylan Hartley.
But the All Blacks clawed their way back either side of half-time, a try from full-back Damian McKenzie followed by 11 points from the boot of fly-half Beauden Barrett.
“There were lots of plus points, but they lost the game,” Woodward told BBC Radio on Sunday.
“They lost by one point and you don’t get many chances to beat the All Blacks.”
There was drama four minutes from time when it appeared impressive England flanker Sam Underhill had scored a match-winning try but French referee Jerome Garces, acting after the television match official intervened, disallowed it for offside.
But Woodward said the ensuing controversy could have been avoided if England had gone for goal rather than opted for attacking line-outs with successive penalties in the 48th and 49th minutes.
When Kyle Sinckler knocked on from the kind of driving maul that led to Hartley’s try, England’s chance to extend their 15-13 lead had gone.
Barrett compounded that error when he kicked what turned out to be a match-winning penalty from a similar position in the 60th minute.
Jones backed his players, saying: “They feel the game, we don’t. We see the game.”