New Zealand's Jeremy Smith, second right, reacts with
teammates after conceding a try against England during
their four nations rugby league test match at the KC
Stadium, Hull. (AP Photo/Tim Hales)
England set up a final with Australia in Four Nations
rugby league by battling past reigning champion New Zealand
28-6 in an attritional winner-takes-all match at KC Stadium
this morning (NZT).
Tom Briscoe's try and two goals by Kevin Sinfield gave
England an 8-0 halftime lead, which was added to four minutes
after the restart when Ryan Hall expertly grounded one-handed
in the right corner.
New Zealand finally troubled the scorers in the 61st minute
when winger Jason Nightingale crossed for the third straight
game this tournament but late tries by James Graham and Sam
Tomkins sealed a deserved win for England.
Sinfield finished with 12 points after a flawless kicking
performance saw him land six goals for Steve McNamara's side.
The final will take place at Elland Road in Leeds next
Saturday, when England gets another crack at a team it was
beaten 36-20 by at Wembley Stadium last weekend.
With captain and inspirational standoff Benji Marshall
strangely subdued, the Kiwis spent most of the match on the
back foot, needing some desperate last-ditch defending to
keep England within reach.
They enjoyed more territory in the final half-hour as England
relaxed momentarily after Hall's try but eventually came up
well short, returning home with just a routine win over Wales
to show for their efforts over the past 15 days.
The early stages were memorable for some big hits - Ben
Matulino caught Tomkins with a swinging arm before Thomas
Leulua'i and Graham had a sickening clash of heads - but few
tryscoring chances.
New Zealand scrumhalf Kieran Foran had a try wiped out for
offside in the third minute in the visitors' only real threat
of the first half before England's powerful forwards came to
the fore at the other end.
Graham was an ubiquitous presence throughout and it was the
prop who punctured a hole in New Zealand's defense prior to
Briscoe's try.
Both Graham and Sinfield were held up near the tryline before
the ball was sent through the hands of the backs and Briscoe
ran onto Kirk Yeaman's pass to ground in the corner of the
stadium where he plays his club rugby with English Super
League side Hull.
Sinfield converted and booted a penalty on the stroke of
halftime after New Zealand substitute Issac Luke was put on
report for twisting the right leg of Rangi Chase after
tackling the New Zealand-born scrumhalf, sparking a melee.
England started the second half stronger and Hall was sent
over in the corner after Jack Reed caught Sinfield's
crossfield bomb and managed to offload the ball to Yeaman.
Hall still had plenty of work to do as he dived full length
to ground for his sixth international try.
Nightingale maintained his record of scoring in every game in
this year's Four Nations by squeezing in at the right corner
despite a covering tackle by Yeaman but England refused to
buckle.
Sinfield's penalty in the 67th made it 16-6 before Graham and
Tomkins plunged over in the final 10 minutes as the Kiwi
defense disintegrated.
Australia, bidding to regain the title it relinquished to its
southern-hemisphere rival in Brisbane last year, takes on
Wales in the last group-stage game on Sunday.
England 28 (Tom Briscoe, Ryan Hall, James Graham, Sam Tomkins
tries; Kevin Sinfield 6 goals), New Zealand 6 (Jason
Nightingale try; Benji Marshall goal). HT: 8-0
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