All Blacks deny England drought-breaking win in Dunedin

The All Blacks have denied England a rare win in New Zealand, prevailing 16-15 in a Dunedin dog-fight.

Victory on Saturday gave the All Blacks the first Test of the two-game series and gave new coach Scott Robertson victory in his first match in charge.

An upset was in the air under the roof at Forsyth Barr Stadium as Steve Borthwick's England went toe-to-toe with the World Cup finalists and marched to a 15-10 lead early in the second half.

But flyhalf Damian McKenzie shrugged off some early inaccuracy to boot two penalties, and a turnover penalty at the ruck condemned the English to an eighth successive defeat in New Zealand.

"Immensely proud," said All Blacks captain Scott Barrett. "We talked about just wearing them down with our ball-carry and breakdown.

"Quickly, the boys have really come together under a new coaching system."

England were left to rue late lapses in discipline that allowed McKenzie to find his kicking boots after he missed two conversion attempts in the first half.

England flyhalf Marcus Smith will also lament a tough night off the tee, landing only two of his five kicks.

"Just a huge amount of pride for our boys, the way we fought and scrapped in that first half, in particular," said England skipper Jamie George.

The two-match series moves to Eden Park in Auckland, where England will again try to claim their first win in New Zealand since 2003.

It was a furious contest from the get-go, though both sides squandered early chances.

England's Smith fired wide after a scrum penalty, before the All Blacks spilled the ball in a rumble towards the line.

But a superb cross-kick from McKenzie to Sevu Reece broke the deadlock in the 16th minute, the winger bolting over at the right corner for the first try in his first Test since 2022.

A false line-drive saw England hit back five minutes later, with Maro Itoje bursting over from a metre out after flanker Chandler Cunningham-South drove the ball to the line.

The helter-skelter start continued as fullback Stephen Perofeta tore through the midfield and released Ardie Savea down the right wing for the hosts' second try.

The lead stayed with the All Blacks to the brink of halftime, but a turnover by England centre Ollie Lawrence allowed Smith to knock over a penalty to level the game.

It was a vital boost before the break and England returned to the field breathing fire.

A Tommy Freeman line-break was held up a metre from the line, but Smith hurled the ball wide to a vacant left corner where an unmarked Immanuel Feyi-Waboso jogged over in the 48th minute.

Though Smith missed the conversion, England's second try saw Robertson go to his bench early, bringing Beauden Barrett on to dig in at fullback.

With history beckoning, England's discipline began to fray.

A ruck penalty allowed McKenzie to add three points with the boot, and he nosed the hosts in front in the 65th minute with another kick for three after an offside penalty.

There was late drama as McKenzie lined up for another penalty kick and was timed out, handing England the ball for a last push.

It came to nothing as the All Blacks held on to give Robertson a tense first-up win.