{"id":562,"date":"2018-11-09T08:14:45","date_gmt":"2018-11-09T08:14:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/flexiseq.ie\/?p=562"},"modified":"2024-10-26T16:10:05","modified_gmt":"2024-10-26T16:10:05","slug":"brad-barritt-on-that-win-over-new-zealand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flexiseq.ie\/blogs\/blog\/brad-barritt-on-that-win-over-new-zealand\/","title":{"rendered":"Brad Barritt on THAT Win Over New Zealand"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
Ahead of this weekend\u2019s match at Twickenham which will see England play New Zealand we look back at one of England\u2019s greatest moments against the All Blacks. In the last match of the Autumn of 2012 The All Blacks came to Twickenham unbeaten in 20 matches. What they didn\u2019t bank on was an England team up for a fight. Here, <\/em>Flexiseq Ambassador Brad Barritt<\/a> – playing in his 11th England match – reflects on one of the most memorable moments of his career. <\/em><\/p> I remember that autumn had been a mismatch of performances for us. We\u2019d played brilliantly against Fiji. The week before against South Africa we were completely on top but just couldn\u2019t put them away. So we came to the New Zealand match with some element of confidence but having not put together the complete performance prior to that.<\/p> Twickenham was buzzing that day, it was electric. It still sends goosebumps down my spine thinking of the atmosphere from the crowd. When you play for England, at home at Twickenham against New Zealand, there is an atmosphere unlike anything else I\u2019ve experienced in rugby<\/a>.<\/p> Everyone has nothing but admiration for what the All Blacks are all about. The team and the history and courage. But, at the end of the day, they are still human. You\u2019re playing at Twickenham, you\u2019re playing in front of your home crowd and, if anything, it\u2019s New Zealand who are stepping into the lion\u2019s den. Don\u2019t build it up to be more than it is, it\u2019s two teams of 15 people against each other between four white lines. In that way, you can simplify the process and your mental preparation<\/a>.<\/p> We started fantastically well, we played a really disciplined game and got some reward early on. It was 15-0 from concerted pressure. But as always with New Zealand they struck back, and they can strike so quickly. Within a blink of an eye, they were almost on parity on points. When New Zealand come back at us it signifies to you who you are playing. You start well and you can be fooled into a false sense of confidence.<\/p> After that there was a huge response from the England team. First, it was my try, then Chris Ashton and finally a lovely intercept from Manu [Tuilagi]. That\u2019s what it takes against the All Blacks, you have to find those purple patches and be able to withstand what they are going to throw at you.<\/p> I remember my try so well. We\u2019d sucked a few defenders in. Owen Farrell takes the ball out to the line and I spot an outside break, the outside defender has shot out too hard, I take the break. I\u2019ve got Manu on my outside, I give him the pass, he gets dragged from behind but is able to get the pass back to me. As a 12 I\u2019m always bracing for contact<\/a>. The difference between playing a 12 and playing out wide is that you are often greeted with balls in congested spaces, you\u2019re never given a huge amount of room because you\u2019re the guy who is given the ball from set-pieces in tight spaces. Your ability to get the right body-height and brace<\/a> for contact and fight through it is part of my job description. It was that training<\/a> that gave me the ability to brace for the challenge and still score.<\/p>