Rugby Test Match 1997 (1st) - England vs. New Zealand

November 23, 1997 -- Old Trafford, Manchester

[@garysmith2983]

Lucky enough to be there. Two things distinct in my memory. The bouncers in The Trafford Arms, who wouldn’t have looked out of place as Bond henchmen. Then being in the ground and seeing a very large dark shadow on the other of the pitch. It was the legend Lomu. It’s fair to say he had a presence. RIP.

[@budwhite1]

Outstanding All Blacks team, from an England fan. Brooke, Lomu, Cullen, Kronfeld, Dowd......

[@lopaaione]

Bloody awesom game and kudos to both team. Got to give a 2 thumbs up to the commentators for covering the match in a very professional way. Ta for the upload hike and keep it coming.

[@wobblertv8083]

Zinzan brooke the most talented multi skilled forward I've ever seen .

[@kaeso101]

I swear Keith Quinn at the commentary made rugby matches more exciting, dramatic and fun to watch.

[@zisssssou]

A classic. Thx for the video On a side note, i just hallucinate on that France Bounce punch on Back, literally unfinished and with a little smile form the ref and the appreciation of the commentators. With Argentina and France, it would be red card and the insults of the commentators.

[@chanctonbury63]

1.35.11...Yes. And they even played land of hope and Glory. I was there and have never been so embarrassed in all my life.

[@charlespc8855]

The day England generated their greatest holy trinity backrow.

[@carldelaney2972]

That was my first england shirt got it took up two short sleeves loved it Lomu had just come on the we never knew whot he was cause wingers were small and fast he looked like a lock or flanker but we stood up two them and drew on the score i love this game bought it from woolworths on VHS I was 18

[@sheridanholani4519]

amazing how fast the scrums were back then. Where did it all go wrong nowadays??

[@ldfreitas9437]

Unnecessary law changes!

[@nathanwilliams2152]

33:18 "He has BLOOPED it!" I remember laughing my 14 year old bottom off when I first heard this on commentary. He wasn't our regular goalkicker, but he was good enough at club level.

[@tristanmckenzie1623]

Rugby will never be the same as the good ole days, Rugby was so much better to watch in the 90s, no eegos in rugby by the players back then, fast game, ref just let the game go, simple game back then with rules etc. Todays game is all business orientated and run by Osh, cameras, and literally refs.. nearly every tackle remoted close to the neck is looked at.. Yep this was rugby as it was and should be remembered..

[@jldp24]

Lomu comeback game after first bout of nephrotic syndrome. He was actually diagnosed in 95. Imagine if he was healthy and maintained the freaky muscle he had as a 20 ear old. No one has been blessed with that size and speed ever.

[@tyzxcj34]

Totally agree. I'm from the US and from the NFL to rugby I don't see any players with the presence of Lomu.

[@andywalker9079]

Great to watch this game again,thank you.

[@xpat73]

Agreed. Mehrtens was a class act and offered a lot in attack and was a superb goal kicker and punter. He was also fast.

[@jydaflyest]

calling Merhtens a bum is rather off the mark, There is a reason he was 1st choice at that position. While he was a liability defensively, and wasn't as flashy as Spencer, Merties was very well respected among his peers and was an asset for both club and country. He was an excellent tactician, and a very good kicker (both for points and position), and had he been selected for the 2003 World Cup, New Zealand would have had a much better shot at winning the trophy.

[@robicenco1]

"Lawrence Dallaglio, the Italian-born player." Ha! No Wikipedia in 1997...

[@cal_laz]

Thanks for uploading.

[@jonathanhockey9943]

Pretty sure I watched a lot of this stuff back at that time, but with Southern Hemisphere commentary this time round its like watching a whole new match. Very different style of commentary, quite interesting.

[@busybody3591]

That New Zealand team was just crammed with talent and all time greats. Seems a lot better spectacle to watch than rugby nowadays, watching rugby now just seems to bore me , where did it all go wrong?

[@ldfreitas9437]

Law changes. And many not needed. And someone who is in charge likes rugby league more than union, obviously.

[@tonkerdog1]

This tour and ultimately the draw, was the gestation of the World Cup winning team of 2003. New Zealand folk laughed when the English did a lap of the stadium, not realising the massive respect that we have always had for the All Blacks. It’s was nothing more than that.

[@tabsqc]

Poor old Mike Catt what a stinker he had. But what a great pass Bracken had. Underrated player. Trodden on deliberately by was it ZZB. Later on ..

[@sharifela7993]

I think it was Jamie Joseph in 1993. Great AB team 1996/97

[@damienmorrell766]

REST In peace jonah Lomu

[@brettpacker2779]

the lance armstrong of rugby union

[@michaeljcalleja]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

[@KmT81]

Jonah R.I.P!

[@bernardfox9078]

Catt a total bottle job. Always thought he was then saw his kicking here to confirm it. Could have easily been 15-15 at one point. No wonder we lost this match. Perry another bottle job. He would run forward as if he was going to kill the opposition then abruptly stop a few metres short of contact and run sideways. Ok he was only 20 but a total joke. A great AB side but Catt made it easy for them. No pressure at all due to incompetent kicking.

[@wobblertv8083]

Catt had a charmed career .Rocks up at Bath looking for a game while visiting England .Then gets in the first team .Then England in a very short space of time .Not a bad player but pretty mediocre at best , Was decent playing outside Wilkinson as he took the pressure off as a second fly half though ....Treated Cipriani in a appaling manner when one of the England assistant coaches ....Always had that self satisfied smirk on his face as well ,Perry was so overated became a test lion !.😮

[@darthmong7196]

Gotta fact-check the commentator. England played Canada at Wembley in 1992. So as for the first home international away from Twickenham since the war???? And Lawrence Dallaglio is not Italian- born.

[@tomdavies6368]

Lomu drops the ball, Woodward celebrates like England just won the game.

[@jonathanhockey9943]

It was almost like a psychological win for England, the fact they kept going strong to the end, and the difference was largely some missed penalties by Mike Catt, and of course the Lomu factor.

[@robertskeen1427]

When the rules were good and fair . Rip jonah ❤

[@MeanAzz_13]

19:15 More brilliant *service* from Marshall

[@KmT81]

GREAT MATCH!!I've never seen it!I was 16!

[@oafie1326]

Richard hill, awesome

[@nzlemming]

You forget how blurry life was in the 90's. Thank Cthulhu we got better resolution.

[@stallionsports]

WILL GREENWOOD WAS THE BEST CENTRES IN HIS ERA

[@ethanhayn6525]

Oh how times have changed 😁

[@ethanhayn6525]

@Pete rock I was very happy about England beating the Kiwis, but my parents are South African so I'm very happy about the outcome. Go Bokke!!

[@isitwasit8756]

Didn't realise eng were "regularly " beating the all blacks these days ..

[@isitwasit8756]

@Pete rock Not just beat them... the bokks convincingly beat eng in every dept.. never seen such a one sided rugby world cup final

[@MeanAzz_13]

35:02 *brilliant* pass Marshall

[@outofoblivionproductions4015]

Last 5mins- Monty Python rugby.

[@robicenco1]

The "lap of honour" was to thank the crowd. Old Trafford isn't a traditional rugby union ground and England have not played many matches in the north of England over the years so this was a deliberate gesture of thanks. The commentators (and some posters below) could have thought about this before opening their mouths.

[@myroseaccount]

Fat chance I am afraid

[@rahowhero]

whatever, look at the english players at final whistle, acting like 66 all over (albeit diff sport).

[@tryceratopstv3583]

+rahowhero OK, I looked at the English players at the final whistle (1:34:30 onwards). They mostly look pretty unhappy, as you'd expect after losing a big match at home. They shake hands with the New Zealand players. Catt shares a smile with Lomu (the two had history, of course). Archer, Johnson, Dallaglio, Healey and one or two others look disappointed or neutral. Cockerill smiles. They applaud the fans. This is nothing like 66, when all the players were smiling, laughing, dancing and hugging each other.

[@rahowhero]

+R EC sorry you are correct, I was confused between this match and a draw , i think also at fwickenham, where the poms celebrated like 66

[@rahowhero]

+rahowhero not also at twickers, but instead at...

[@robicenco1]

Mehrtens's first conversion looks like it was from MILES out...

[@xpat73]

No idea how Catt got near an England shirt, never mind the Lions.

[@sugirosie]

Yep agree. Kronfield would've been sent off atleast if played today.

[@MeanAzz_13]

47:45 Merhts you *Legend*

[@mannyperkins3521]

Today's game is so slow constant reset and dozens of stupid refing stop starts

[@sli191]

Both 10s born in South Africa

[@budwhite1]

Im an England fan, but the only England players who would have got in that New Zealand team would be Johnson at 4 but Brooke was as good, Hill at 6 over Randall and maybe Bracken who was as good as any scrum half in his pomp.

[@merlin5420]

Pffftt they wouldn’t even make it into the Greerton Gurnards Golden Oldies team over here

[@corriedebeer799]

Jesus but the sound coming out of that convict's mouth sure sounds terrible.

[@The46degreesouth]

A lap of honour in a losing match? Shows the difference between the two sides cultures. . .

[@tishbeautyxo9457]

The46degreesouth bloody Poms sorry bro you came second, hello there's only two teams playing, lord help us if you lose your queen.

[@ZenMasterPhil]

+The46degreesouth I have Martin Johnson's autobiography, he claims they did the lap of honour to thank their supporters for coming out to watch their team take on the best team in the world. This was played at Old Trafford in Manchester, the north of England is more into football and rugby league, so it's plausible they wanted to thank their support.

[@myroseaccount]

+The46degreesouth The England team were saluting and thanking the OLD TRAFFORD crowd and the people of the North West for coming out and providing great support. This was extremely significant for an England Rugby team playing in the north of England and at the home of the world's biggest football club. There are important historical and cultural divisions between north and south and football as working class game. That was not a lap of honour but an acknowledgement by the England team thanking the crowd for their support.You expect me to understand and respect the HAKA as an importatnt part of NZ culture, well you can fucking well educate yourself about England and my culture you ignorant fucking pricks!

[@treefrog1956]

+Philip Laidler " I have Martin Johnson's autobiography, he claims they did the lap of honour to thank their supporters for coming out to watch their team take on the best team in the world." They weren't the best team in the world then, South Africa were world champions.

[@jonahyoung347]

@@tishbeautyxo9457 Hmm, seems like she could be your queen too! That's what I recall when visiting the good people of Christchurch, as English a city as they come. Perhaps things have changed.

[@juniorching5600]

Whis here after mike cat was squashed by lomu in 1995 lol

[@bossbartholo9643]

What an awesome All blacks team. Is it just me or does Taine and Zinzan look like brothers 😂

[@St_AngusYoung]

It’s just you

[@bossbartholo9643]

@@St_AngusYoung 3 years later dickhead

[@smartcooky99]

Lose 8-25 and they do a "victory" lap? Only England could do that!!

[@robicenco1]

Wasn't a victory lap bro, they were thanking the fans in a part of the country they hadn't played in in many decades.

[@MKRM27]

Victory lap? You prat! It was a thank you for fans in traditionally not a strong rugby union area, for coming to support them at the game. It appears that only England can do that - that level of humility and gratitude is obviously lost on you, and assume it isn’t a trait from which ever country you’re from

[@tonyupham2340]

England, the only team that make running rugby look bad

[@sharifela7993]

I am English but even I laughed at that!!

[@isitwasit8756]

Jesus wept I've never seen such celebration by side who just got well beaten on the scoreboard.. Embarrassing...

[@isitwasit8756]

@westisbe5t Manchester is the north west and pretty sure last time I went there the locals weren't speaking Geordie 😂

[@MeanAzz_13]

23:00 *bad mistake* LOL

[@rahowhero]

Keith quinn talking out arse as per usual..... george best english?...

[@xpat73]

Catt - one of the worst kicking performances ever.

[@wobblertv8083]

Possibly the luckiest career in the history of the game.mediocre at best 😮

[@xpat73]

NZ gave away penalties abut every 2 mins....today they would have had 1/2 the team with yellow cards.

[@hancockatoo]

The commentary on this game is horrendous - All of the NZ mistakes are barely acknowledged and passed off as confidence or flair. NZ don't miss touch, it's always a deliberate ploy - England just miss touch. Catt kicking penalties to the corner for the lineout is a lack of confidence in his kicking, rather than a show of belief that we can take all five points. England are accused of being afraid to take the attacker on (and "targetting the ball" instead), but just look at the men flying into Lomu, and this is just from the first 30 mins. This game marked a renaissance in English Rugby - they show that they are prepared to take on NZ in attack and defence, and this is the kernal of the RWC 2003 side. The lap acknowledges this, and the support of the crowd.

[@rabbitss11]

c'mon, Catt's confidence was shot to bits

[@callumbaird5341]

+Jamie Graham why watch a game from 1997 and complain about the commentary?

[@hancockatoo]

I know one of the players.

[@kcsinclair8244]

Just mad because England sucks at rugby and always will.

[@rabbitss11]

Kc Sinclair not so fast, England have an Australian coach and a NZ born captain, they're inching their way towards being half decent

[@budwhite1]

If Lomu was playing for England, England would have won ....

[@proprioceptive44]

New Zealand fouling over and over again

[@rbjohmson77]

New Zealand winning over and over again

[@sidney8680]

England were perthetic

[@MKRM27]

I assumed NZ would have good commentators. These guys were awful

[@sugirosie]

Spenser was a bums bum. Only thing he was good at...besides throwing intercept passes in the 2003 world cup. Merhtens was a class above him. Just didn't cut it with Spencer's bum...which is John Mitchell

[@paulcook7986]

Arrogant commentators.

[@vagalN]

You are English then

[@Johnsoncoxhead]

merties was a bum. Carlos should have started every test