This was the opening group game for England and New Zealand but it was easily the most important and how the Kiwis’ celebrations at full-time showed it. Victory here and one win from the final two games would almost certainly be enough to progress to the final.
Defeat? The fearsome prospect of having to beat Australia in the group stage – as well as Scotland – to stand a chance of making it to Anfield. That is the daunting task that awaits Wayne Bennett and England after another case of so near yet so far.
Three years ago, as England seemed certain to qualify for the World Cup final, Shaun Johnson broke hearts with a last-gasp try that eliminated the hosts in spectacular fashion. Here, the deja vu was almost too painful to bear as once again Johnson proved to be the scourge of the English with another masterful performance, culminating in the decisive drop goal that went a long way to guiding the Kiwis to the final in three weeks’ time.
For large parts of an absorbing Test, England appeared in control and seemed the better of the two sides. However, their inability to score points when it mattered proved to be their downfall – and they were made to pay as the fine margins of international rugby league were once again brutally exposed.
It has been two decades since England last defeated Australia in a competitive match and that record will now have to end for the hosts to make the Four Nations final next month in Liverpool.
Not even the return of Sam Burgess to the national side could inspire England enough to get over the line. The captain showed promise in his first game back in an England shirt since his return to rugby league, but on another frustrating afternoon, and although the margins continue to remain fine, the results remain frustratingly the same.
The Bennett era had started routinely enough; some early indiscipline from the Kiwis afforded England two chances at goal they would not waste as two penalties from Gareth Widdop put the hosts into an early 4-0 lead.
New Zealand looked somewhat fragile in the opening quarter with little end product and had some enterprising play from England paid off, the remainder of the first half, and indeed the game as a whole, could have been a different story. Ryan Hall found himself in space on the wing as England scrambled the ball left, but not far enough; Jermaine McGillvary was held up over the line before James Graham’s try was ruled out by the video referee for a double movement.
The fact they emerged from such a period of domination with those two penalties proved crucial, as it allowed New Zealand to mount a fightback. They hit back with a penalty of their own from Jordan Kahu on the half-hour and when Widdop’s kick-off sailed out on the full it immediately put pressure on the hosts again.
The pressure told five minutes from the interval when, having forced back-to-back sets on the England line, some slick handling from Johnson freed Jordan Rapana for an open run to the corner. Although Kahu missed the conversion, the Kiwis were well worth their two-point lead at the break.
Half-time appeared to come at an opportune moment for England but the visitors would extend their lead two minutes after the break when, with the hosts pressing, Johnson picked off a stray Widdop pass to race 80 yards and touch down.
With Kahu’s kick opening up a two-score lead, it felt like a telling moment: but the drama was only just beginning. Within six minutes England had made amends for that Johnson try as Elliott Whitehead put McGillvary over in the corner but New Zealand rallied again, extending their lead once more when Rapana evaded some sloppy defending to claim his second.
However, Kahu’s missed conversion gave England a glimmer of hope and when Widdop converted Hall’s magnificent touchline try – his 29th in 29 games for the national side – on the hour, the game was level at 16-16 with a thrilling final quarter in prospect.
It became increasingly apparent that a drop goal may well settle the contest, and the Kiwis wasted little time in going ahead again when Johnson kicked a one-pointer with 15 minutes remaining. England scrambled, fought and attempted to level – or even win – the match in the closing stages, but they had no answer.
Victory in Coventry next Saturday against Scotland is now essential but it is what lies beyond that will prove to be the greater challenge for England.
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