Shaun Johnson scored with the last play of a pulsating semi-final to put holders New Zealand into the World Cup final and break English hearts with a 20-18 victory at Wembley. England 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 but the Kiwis had the last say.
Twenty-year-old wing sensation Roger Tuivasa-Sheck had earlier scored two tries, taking his total for the tournament to eight, to give the Kiwis a six-point lead but England displayed exceptional character to put themselves in a winning position.
England were hoping to make it third time lucky when they met New Zealand in the first World Cup semi-final at Wembley. The Kiwis ended England's run at the last-four stage in both 2000 and 2008 and were favourites to inflict more heartache on their hosts, who went into the game with a brand new half-back pairing.
England coach Steve McNamara gave a first start of the tournament to Halifax-born NRL player Gareth Widdop after axing Rangi Chase from the team that beat France in last Saturday's quarter-final. Widdop partnered skipper Kevin Sinfield in the halves, while second rower Brett Ferres was restored to the starting line-up and Leeds duo Rob Burrow and Carl Ablett were recalled to the bench at the expense of Wigan's Liam Farrell and Michael McIlorum.
New Zealand had winger Jason Nightingale and back-row forward Elijah Taylor replacing injured duo Manu Vatuvei and Frank Pritchard, with second-rower Alex Glen coming in on the bench for only his third appearance of the tournament.
England found themselves under pressure from the start and had a narrow escape when full-back Sam Tomkins got his boot to the ball just in time to prevent New Zealand hooker Issac Luke touching down his own grubber kick on the last tackle. Sonny Bill Williams showed some early touches of class while England had to scramble to keep out both wingers Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Nightingale. There was a worrying moment when Sam Burgess was hurt by a flying arm from Kiwis prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and another moment of alarm when winger Josh Charnley dropped Kieran Foran's high kick.
Somehow England's defence survived and they struck on the counter-attack to open the scoring on 15 minutes. Burgess took a short pass from his fellow front rower James Graham and got loose forward Sean O'Loughlin over for his third try in 11 Tests. Sinfield added the conversion to put his side into a 6-0 lead.
Having watched his side fall behind for the first time in the tournament, New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney's response was to introduce a trio of front row forwards from the bench midway through the first half. England boss Steve McNamara not surprisingly persisted with Burgess and Graham after their impressive start and it was from another strong burst from the South Sydney forward that England extended their lead on 24 minutes. Widdop was tackled off the ball as he looked to support a half-break by Burgess and Sinfield kicked the resultant penalty to make it 8-0.
The Kiwis' response was to produce a sublime moment that got them right back in the game. Nightingale palmed Foran's kick back from the left-hand corner and the New Zealanders moved the ball across the full width of the pitch. Luke looked to have ruined the move with a wild pass that was sailing into touch but centre Dean Whare brilliantly kept the ball in play for Tuivasa-Sheck to claim his seventh try of the World Cup. Shaun Johnson kicked the conversion and levelled the scores just before the break with a penalty, awarded for an obstruction by substitute George Burgess.
England found themselves under pressure at the start of the second half after conceding a string of penalties and they soon fell behind for the first time.
Johnson and Locke combined to get the ever-dangerous Tuivasa-Sheck into space and he produced a devastating finish for his second try. Johnson was wide with the conversion attempt but made it 14-8 on 52 minutes with a penalty awarded for an obstruction by Widdop on Locke.
Referee Ben Cummins awarded five penalties against England in the first 15 minutes of the second half but when they finally got their hands on the ball they immediately scored their second try. Graham once more demonstrated his slick ball-playing skills and combined with Sinfield to get centre Kallum Watkins slicking through a gap in the New Zealand defence. Sinfield was off target for the first time with the boot to leave his side trailing 14-12 on the hour.
The try breathed fresh confidence into England as the crowd came to life. O'Loughlin dropped Graham's pass short of the line and left winger Ryan Hall looked certain to score when put into a one-on-one situation but he lost his footing on the surface.
With Widdop, Sinfield and Tomkins growing into the game, England suddenly looked full of invention and it was no surprise when they regained the lead on 66 minutes. Sinfield's pass to Burgess was timed to perfection to get the former Bradford man into a gap and he charged over for England's third try. Sinfield's third goal put his side into a four-point lead and they almost scored again when second rower Ben Westwood found a gap and stretched out for the line only to lose his grip on the ball.
It proved a costly miss as the Kiwis piled on the pressure in the last 10 minutes. England looked to have done enough to hold on for a famous victory when, in the last play of the pulsating match, Johnson went past Sinfield as he rushed to close down the play and went through a yawning gap to score the Kiwis' third try. That tied the scores and Johnson kept his composure to land the match-winning conversion.
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