England slice and dice blunt Razor and his frail Fall Blacks
Razor Robertson’s players may have worn black at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, but they were an insult to the great All Blacks teams that have visited Rugby’s headquarters, writes Mark Keohane. England crushed them.
The coach feted as the Knight in Shining Armour never arrived on a stallion. Instead he has come on a donkey, such has been his lack of impact with the All Blacks.
The Springboks, in Johannesburg and Cape Town, showed up the conservative lack of intent with Robertson’s selections and game plan in winning back to back Tests in 2024.
In 2025, the Boks humiliated the All Blacks 43-10 in Wellington, New Zealand, scoring 36 unanswered points.
Argentina also felled Robertson’s All Blacks , in Wellington in 2024 and winning easily in Buenos Aires in 2025.
At Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium, every critique of Robertson’s conservatism in selection and indifference in style of play and consistency in performance, was again on display.
The All Blacks scored two early tries to lead 12-0 before 20 minutes, but lost the last hour 33-7. It could – and should – have been more.
This was a dominant England and the only time I can recall England being so in control was in the 19-7 World Cup semi-final in 2019. Back then the only question was how did the All Blacks get seven points and how did England only get 19?
On Saturday, how did England only get 33?
Robertson was gifted the All Blacks job on the basis of seven successive Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders, but Test rugby is not Super Rugby, and Robertson has been the biggest disappointment in his lack of vision and lack of delivery in the biggest Tests.
Since his opening Test in 2024, a one point win against England in Dunedin, his teams have underwhelmed and scraped wins.
The highlight was the 24-17 win at Eden Park against the Springboks in 2025, when the All Blacks led 14-0 after 15 minutes and then hung on for the last 65 minutes. A week later they lost in record-breaking fashion.
Robertson’s All Blacks have gone nowhere in two seasons and walloping Wales next Saturday won’t mask the stagnation of the All Blacks under Robertson.
England’s win was just their ninth in history against the All Blacks in 47 starts, but given the state of the All Blacks they should demand playing them a few times every year while Robertson is in charge. They will quickly move that figure into double figures.
England, 10 wins in succession, are easy on the eye and look very good.
They will be tested more in the Six Nations than they were by Australia, Fiji and the All Blacks, but unlike Robertson’s All Blacks, their graph is on the up.
KEO’S ACCUMULATOR: I GAVE ALL BLACKS HISTORY TOO MUCH CREDIT
⌚️ Henry Pollock chipping through the loose ball to set up Tom Roebuck for the try to seal England’s victory over the All Blacks at the Allianz 💪🤩#Breitling #DefiningMoment @Breitling pic.twitter.com/UiQnbzbGwm
— Quilter Nations Series (@QuilterNations) November 15, 2025