England Tour: New Zealand Maoris 9 England 23 Joe Worsley led a destructive defensive performance, Paul Grayson pulled the strings in tricky conditions from outhalf - and the stern test posed by the New Zealand Maori was passed with flying colours by England in New Plymouth today.
Their first victory on New Zealand soil since 1985 was assured by a dominant forwards display and sealed with a late try from Andy Gomarsall.
From the moment England's forwards had the Maori pack on the back foot in the opening minutes, the tourists had the edge. Simon Shaw was driven over for the first try after 10 minutes.
Grayson, lauded for his performance by head coach Clive Woodward, kicked 13 points - with his opposite number Glen Jackson managing three penalties for the Maori as England's defence held firm. Now for England it is on to the Test match against the All Blacks in Wellington on Saturday. Woodward will name his Test team today.
"We have all been on tours as players and coaches. You know how important it is when your midweek or second-string team win, especially when the whole of New Zealand was expecting the Maori team to win," said Woodward. "To win and win with something to spare is a massive boost to them, and when we train tomorrow there will be a real spring in the step.
"The second game in a row we silenced the crowd, and there is no doubt Martin Johnson and the guys back there will take a lot out of the game."
The Maori had not lost to a touring side since the Lions visited in 1993. They play magnificent attacking rugby but that gameplan was stifled partly by the treacherous conditions but mostly by the English defence - marshalled superbly by Worsley.
"England were ruthless. In my time involved with the New Zealand Maori, they are the strongest side I have come up against," said coach Matt Te Pou. "The amount of pressure we were under, we didn't get good ball. At half-time the stats were 70-30 to the English - and I think that's what it ended up as in the second half."
Wasps number eight Worsley had been made captain of the defence, a role he relished. He was singled out by coaches Andy Robinson and Phil Larder, who felt the 25-year-old exemplified the performances of the pack and entire defence respectively.
ENGLAND (Possible squad to play New Zealand in Wellington on June 14th): J Lewsey; B Cohen, M Tindall, W Greenwood, J Robinson; J Wilkinson, M Dawson; G Rowntree, S Thompson, J Leonard, M Johnson, B Kay, R Hill, N Back, L Dallaglio. Replacements: P Grayson, P Vickery, J Worsley, S Shaw, M Regan/D West, K Bracken/A Gomarsall, B Johnston/J Noon/D Luger.
