England were left shell-shocked and heartbroken after seeing victory slip from their grasp by two points in an epic Rugby League World Cup semi-final against New Zealand at Wembley on Saturday.
Steve McNamara’s men looked to have done enough to dethrone the world champions after coming from 14-8 down to lead 18-14 with a 67th-minute try from man of the match Sam Burgess.
They were still ahead with just 21 seconds left but the Kiwis had the last say when scrum-half Shaun Johnson scored with the last play of the match to level at 18-18.
Johnson then kept his nerve to kick the non-too-difficult conversion, his fourth goal of the game, to seal a 20-18 victory and put New Zealand into a third consecutive final at Old Trafford next weekend.
The English are still waiting to add to their 1972 triumph.
Twenty-year-old wing sensation Roger Tuivasa-Sheck had earlier scored two tries for the Kiwis, taking his total for the tournament to eight, while England’s other try-scorers were Sean O’Loughlin and Kallum Watkins.
It was the third consecutive time that England had been thwarted by the Kiwis but they could not have done any more to end their 18-year wait to reach the final.
New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney admitted his men were lucky.
“We thought England had a great game today,” Kearney told BBC One. “We kept fighting and hanging in there. We were fortunate today.”
Man-of-the-match Burgess said he would rather trade in the award for a victory.
“Very disappointed,” he said. “I would rather have the win than this medal.
“We put a lot of hard work into this tournament and we probably did not get what we deserved.
“It’s going to take a while to get over this one. The lads are very disappointed.”
England coach Steve McNamara said: “It’s a tough way to go out, but high level sport can be cruel at times.
“We did a lot of things right in this game. We played tremendously well.”
Maroon Blood
Guest
How would Kevin Sinfield, one of England's best I thought, be feeling this morning after rushing out of the line and missing Johnson? The whole team will be kicking themselves also for letting that one get away. Terrific though to see such a cracking game in front of a great crowd, a game certainly worthy of a World Cup semi........and then theres the other semi.........*heavy sigh*
Rod
Guest
Dan, if you are a roosters fan, fair enough. I was at the GF and it was certainly a good game by GF standards. But it was not even in the same league as that games. That was a brutal game of rugby league. The way it should be played
Storm Boy
Guest
The best thing for international RL if you want upsets and unpredictability is to not have NRL referees and NRL interpretations within a million of miles of the tournament.
soapit
Guest
especially as he'd pretty much put his whistle away for the 10 minutes preceding
soapit
Guest
yeah what was with that midfield bomb with minutes to go? surely england should have been finding touch and wind down the clock?
Raugeee
Guest
Yeah - just actually watched the game. Cummins could have let that high tackle go. It wasn't malicious SBW was slowing down and falling into the tackle. Burgess' arm bounced off the ball and went high. Really, Semi of a world cup, dying seconds.......... I imagine the atmosphere going to be great anyway.
Johnno
Guest
The 14th man would have been massive burden for aussies at Old Trafford, 75,000 screaming fans in suncorp stadium cauldron atmoshphere would have been a super promotion for rugby league, so sad for not so much England but rugby league. This would have been a moment like rugby league has not seen since Kangaroo tour of 1990 or 94 if England made it. Old Trafford is game's heartland up north, Manchester would have been buzzing all week, c'mon England signs all over the city all week would have been massive weekend. London as well would have buzzed a bit to, and all the towns up North surrounding Manchester. Aussies V Kiwis will put on a show, but just won't have same feel for the wider audience as much as a England vs aussies at old trafford. The match will be more a spectacle than personal for the fans, as there home side is not playing in it. The 14th man crowd would have rattled the aussies i think, and then the ref usually gets pressured and the home team gets the rub of the green. Still will be a good final, but like euro 96 won't be the same without England in the final, the home nations emoitional energy has gone out of the RLWC now.
Johnno
Guest
+1 that was one hell of a game I think it was 2006 final. Kiwis were out on there feet they had no bench for all of extra time, and i think for most of 2nd half, was big big effort to hang in there for so long vs a top class aussy team.
Ra
Guest
Agree with Steven Kearney, England played well, as we expect them to do, they are a very formidable side. On that form they would have troubled the Aussies too. More ammunition for those supporters of the "bring back international rugby league" cry.
karlos
Guest
Must say Dan; the fact that both teams (particularly England) decided to play Rugby League and take some risks was fantastic and made for a far better spectacle than the GF this year or any year since 1997.
Raugeee
Guest
Final of the 2006 Tri Nations for me. 2 great sides. Wasn't decided till the 7th minutes of golden point. JT magic "show and go" brilliant Locky backing up. I remember enjoying the game so much that I didn't care who won.
WEST
Roar Guru
that's what they thought last time. Awesome game by the Kiwis. Funny thing about NZRL you never know what might happen. GO KIWIS. Another slice of heaven.
Goatus
Guest
Hate to be pedantic, but the English have never won the RLWC. In 1972, England competed as part of Great Britain, the eventual winners.
Johnno
Guest
Agreed Code 13 that was a good one. I'd also add the 1998 semi Dogs V Eels at Allianz. Halligan's goal on the bell wow what a comeback that was.
Dan
Guest
Great game, but I still reckon the NRL GF this year was better. Why? Because as intense and entertaining as it was, both sides produced some truly awful play throughout; NZ took almost an hour to produce a good 5th tackle option and England seemed to constantly be putting poorly judged bombs up that rarely ever reached NZ's danger zone.
code 13
Roar Guru
Good selection of matches Johnno. Might add that the Roosters-Tigers overtime final thriller to it as well.
nathan
Guest
what a game that was,the kiwi will be match hard for next weeks game against the aussie but its the end of the road aussie will win easy too!
Johnno
Guest
2nd best game of rugby league I’ve ever watched. 1990 roo tour 2nd test was so tense, Both games were decided on the bell, and both times Eng/GB broken hearts Best rugby league games ever -No 1Roo tour 1990 2nd test - No 2 2013 World cup semi-final Eng V NZ -1995 Australia V NZ rugby league world cup semi final extra time -Newcastls v Manly ARL Grand final -State of origin super league 1997 grand final -World cup final 2000 Old trafford -1989 Balmain V Canberra NSWRL Grand final -Wally Lewis last origin match 1991 Crowd today was 67,000, out of 90,00 seater stadium. Good crowd but expected more for a semi-final. But London is not the games heartland, the north of England is. Old trafford is basically sold out. Would be certain sell out if England were in it. Twickenham sold out 82,000 for a regular games vs Wallabies/AB'S/maybe the Argentina game but at least 75,000 there, got 76,000 for the match. But still anyway you put if a sport can pull more than 40,000 to a game it's good. And England today were able to mange to pull 67,000 paying fans to Wembley, and millions watching on TV in England and around the World. So the Rugby league world cup organisers will take 65,000 crowd for a semi-final any day of the week, and next week will be sold out or near sell out at least 70,000, so no worries there. A lot of ex-pat aussies/kiwis will make the trek from London to Manchester next week. Wow i would have loved England at Old Trafford in the final, the place would of been absolutely rocking all week in the north of england, but wasn't meant to be. The 12 man interchange rule will suit NZ big forward pack. Frank Paul Nuuausala, really stepped up. I'd bring in if i were the kiwis, Hoffman,Inu, maybe Eastwood,definatley Frank Pritchard, Manu Vatuevui if fit. But Nightinggale is very good big match player always calm and does his job never lets the side down. Manu can choke sometimes, but adds that extra forward element to the kiwi pack. But sometimes positionally is suspect under high ball and positioning in defence. Nightingale is as safe as they come. Would of liked to have seen Sam Perret in the side. the other kiwi winger Robert Tuivasa Sheck is a handful. Foran is good as well. NZ had less moments than England but took there chances better, England made some stuff ups. And the penalty count evened out, and bad ref designs at the ruck. SBW at a crucial moment got pinged for a knock on that he didn't do. Great game gonna be an epic final, don't know who will win, maybe aussies by 2 points skin of there teeth. Luke Lewis will be a big loss for aussies in final.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
One of the great games of rugby league. Absolutely incredible spectacle.