This will inevitably be remembered as the one New Zealand got away with, but it would be an injustice to Brodie Retallick's towering performance to say the TMO was the most influential figure at Twickenham on Sunday morning (NZ time).
Retallick was a colossus for the All Blacks and was named man of the match. They call him the Guzzler for his relentless appetite for work and he had his fill, inspiring New Zealand's comeback from 15-0 down.
He stole three lineouts, denying England the chance to capitalise on their second-half chances - Jamie George will have a few sleepless nights ahead - and ultimately it was the set piece where this match was decided.
Retallick was asked in the build-up if he could recall the 2012 defeat by England here.
Considering it is one of two Tests New Zealand have lost when he and Sam Whitelock have started together it was no surprise to hear it had not disappeared from memory.
"I remember the feelings in the sheds wasn't that great,'' he recalled in his understated way.
Bloodied but unbowed, he deserves all the plaudits coming his way.
Retallick was just as rattled as anyone, however, in the early stages - it was he who made a mess of the kick-off that soon led to Chris Ashton's opening try - but for New Zealand to eke out this victory in the face of such pressure takes character and the 2014 world player of the year shouldered most of the burden.
Not conditions for razzle-dazzle rugby was Steve Hansen's verdict but more telling was the All Blacks' ability to settle themselves after such a breathless start from England.
If Retallick's was a vintage performance, Beauden Barrett's was not. He had not started against England before and while he will afford himself a wry smile that it was his often maligned goalkicking that won the day, this was not one for the scrapbook.
The embarrassment of being turned inside out by Sam Underhill late on was a fitting end to a pretty mediocre performance, even if the resultant try was chalked off.
Indeed, in keeping with how uncharacteristic his display was, he scored his first drop goal in his 71st Test. Perhaps that, more than anything else, demonstrates just what a scrap New Zealand found themselves in.
To come out the other side owes much to their extraordinary self-belief, plenty to England's lack of composure late on and a fair bit to luck. Play like this against Ireland next Saturday and they will not be so fortunate.
But then, Dublin will be a totally different story, just as this match was so far removed from England's fortuitous win over South Africa seven days ago. Or rather, it was eerily similar, only in that England seemed to mirror precisely what the Springboks did.
They were on top from the off and would have been disappointed with the margin of their lead at half-time.
Just like South Africa their lineout went to pieces and they can count themselves mightily unlucky to come out the wrong side of a late TMO decision.
The margin of their half-time lead - five points - ought to have been more but here was another demonstration of how dangerous the All Blacks are in those few moments before and after half-time.
To score 10 points with 39 minutes on the clock was little short of robbery. It was hardly in keeping with what had gone before, but not for the first time the first-half departure of Sonny Bill Williams changed the game.
This time he made way through injury, rather than a red card, and this time it was New Zealand who profited. Ryan Crotty's impact was immediate and no less significant.
His first involvement was to tackle Jonny May and win a penalty to relieve some pressure. It was Crotty who made the first bust that eventually led to Damian McKenzie's try and while he may not have a highlights reel to compare to Williams, Crotty gave the All Blacks more purpose.
One of the more revealing moments of the All Blacks' recent, rather anodyne, documentary All or Nothing was just how close Crotty came to leaving New Zealand for richer pastures after missing out on the 2015 World Cup squad.
While it is testament to the man that he has made himself a key part of this current setup, it always seemed a strange decision not to start him and after a series of head injuries it is heartwarming to see him back.
At the final whistle it was he who celebrated loudest - plenty will quibble with the result but few can argue Crotty deserved his moment.
- Guardian News and Media