English press react to ABs' loss

Captain Chris Robshaw of England celebrates with team mates after beating the All Blacks 38-21 during the QBE International match between England and New Zealand. Photo / Getty Images.

As the All Blacks mull over what went wrong in their 21-38 defeat to England this morning, the English press are delighting in what went right.

The All Blacks' 20-game unbeaten streak was broken by a scintillating display of football from the English, and has led journalists from the most popular British papers to proclaim it as one of the England side's greatest ever nights.

"Stunning, just stunning," said Paul Ackford of The Daily Telegraph.

"The best team in world rugby, the best in world sport, some say, smashed by a tidal wave of white. Twickenham has known many great occasions in its long and distinguished history but there have been few to top this."

"It wasn't the fact of the victory which was so astonishing, but the manner of it. New Zealand were butchered, hung, drawn and quartered by an England side who played with passion, bite, style and, at long, long last, accuracy.

"There was nothing remotely fortuitous about this triumph. It was close to a humiliation for New Zealand."

The Guardian's Michael Aylwin said that this should be remembered as the day that all of Britain beat the All Blacks.

"No mysterious dinner lady lurking near the All Blacks' soup vat over here. Instead, thousands of us have endured exposure to the norovirus, just so that the best rugby team in the world could have a bit of it.

"When the final whistle sounded, he (Richie McCaw) took in a long breath of regret but his next instinct was to turn to his team-mates and offer them consolation. A great man, and a great team. And you would not want to be playing them next. They will have had seven months to sit on it before they get to play again. No stomach virus has ever lasted that long.

Eddie Butler of the Observer wrote about how England's internal dream became a public demonstration of power, authority and imagination.

"This was an All Blacks team unbeaten this year, rated so highly that they were on the brink of being acclaimed the best ever. Untouchable. Until now. This should be a moment to savour, the precious unveiling of a priceless piece of rugby."

-nzherald.co.nz