ENGLAND finally put together an 80-minute display on Saturday to overcome New Zealand and were rewarded with a Four Nations final place against Australia at Elland Road.
In keeping with the time of year, England coach Tony Smith cleverly kept some of his gunpowder dry until just before the kick-off.
The half-back pairing of Sam Tomkins and Kyle Eastmond, introduction of Chris Bridge in the centre and return of Pe
ter Fox on the wing were known well in advance. But the decision to start with Kevin Sinfield in the number nine role, with Sam Burgess at loose forward was not revealed until late on.
And what a masterstroke it proved to be. Sinfield had his finest international: controlling the play from dummy half; driving the Kiwis back with a succession of raking kicks; turning up at loose forward and stand-off when James Roby was on the field; and having a four from four return with his goalkicking.
But this was a good all-round team performance, with the pack working overtime to overcome the 80-minute threat that New Zealand always present.
Sinfield and Burgess combined to send over Eastmond for the first try on 10 minutes. The Kiwis struck four minutes later with a well-taken try by Bryson Goodwin, who missed the conversion but levelled the scores with a penalty on the half-hour.
The final 10 minutes of the first half proved decisive as a double from Fox, both converted by Sinfield, gave England a crucial 18-6 lead at the break.
Three minutes into the second half New Zealand launched a superb handling move that brought the best try of the game for Ben Matulino. Goodwin’s conversion narrowed the gap to six points and from there the match was a real arm wrestle.
The wet and slippery conditions made it a difficult night for the backs, but both sets of forwards went hell for leather, with the Kiwis beginning to gain a slight advantage as the minutes ticked away. A penalty from Sinfield eight minutes from time re-established England’s grip and was the final score of a pulsating match.
Earlier Australia had their expected victory over France, running in eight tries in a 42-4 win.
They didn’t have it all their own way, Bobbie Goulding’s side put in a valiant first half, conceding only two tries, before running out of steam in the second half.
Tim Sheens rang the changes, with seven new faces from the side that beat England. But the display of hat-trick debutant Michael Jennings, and two tries apiece from twins Josh and Brett Morris will have left him with the sort of selection dilemma coaches relish.
Victory is not beyond England’s capabilities on Saturday but it will need every player to achieve their full potential and maintain discipline and concentration for a full 80 minutes.
The forwards are quite capable of matching their opponents, the problems could be in the backs. The youthful promise of Sam Tomkins and Kyle Eastmond against the experience of Johnathan Thurston and Darren Lockyer is an obvious critical point, as is the centre threat posed by Greg Inglis.
