Kiwis through to Cup final
November 15, 2008

THEY finally stood up to the haka but England still fell 32-22 to New Zealand in their Rugby League World Cup semi-final at Brisbane.

The Kiwis made it clear they would not tolerate a repeat of last weekend's "snub" when England opted to form a huddle during the haka before their last pool match.

The English duly stood side by side and looked New Zealand in the eye during the passionate pre-match ritual - but they quickly blinked.

The Englishmen played more like schoolboys with an error riddled performance - yet somehow still fought back from 16-0 down in the first half to cut the deficit to 28-22 in the final 10 minutes.

In the end, the Kiwis ran out six tries to four winners with centre Jerome Ropati bagging a double in front of a 26,659-strong Suncorp Stadium crowd.

New Zealand will not be able to show the same leniency in next Saturday night's final at Brisbane, most certainly against world champions Australia who are expected to brush aside Fiji's challenge in Sydney on Sunday night.

England's treatment of the haka wasn't the only thing that had irked New Zealand in the match's lead-up.

The Poms had been the masters of mind games in the countdown, refusing to confirm a team and snubbing the media at their final training run on match eve - again much to New Zealand's annoyance.

The Kiwis appeared to take their frustration out on the butterfingered English tonight, jumping to 16-0 by the 22nd minute.

Then England appeared to flick a switch, scoring two tries in nine minutes including an absolute cracker to last-minute inclusion Danny McGuire in the 38th minute.

Lock Rob Purdham exploded from a scrum about 40m out and delivered a kick that surprised the Kiwis and sat up beautifully for McGuire to score.

After cruising at 16-0, a shellshocked New Zealand led by just 16-10 at half-time.

Normal service appeared to resume when New Zealand's Bronson Harrison ran off Queensland-born halfback Nathan Fien in the 57th minute to make it 22-10.

But England hung in there - despite being their own worst enemies - to trade tries with the Kiwis.

By the time McGuire - who was not even named in the initial 19-man squad by crafty England coach Tony Smith - crashed over for his second try in the 73rd minute to make it 28-22 the Poms had a sniff.

But their night was summed up by New Zealand's match-winning try.

Impressive pivot Benji Marshall pounced on a slip-up by England winger Ade Gardner to stroll over the line in the 78th and book another Cup decider with their nemesis Australia.

It ended a woeful Cup campaign for England.

They managed just one win - a hardly convincing 10 point victory over minnows PNG - and three losses, including a Cup record 52-4 drubbing at the hands of Australia.

Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney looked like he was on the losing side when he emerged from the dressing room.

Although pleased they had reached their third World Cup final, he knew the same performance would not stack up against a rampaging Australia.

"It's a wonderful achievement but I am disappointed with a few aspects of our game," he said.

Asked what areas New Zealand could improve, Kearney said: "How big is your (note) pad?"

"A lot of areas. I just thought for 30 minutes in the first half we showed what we were capable of ... then we drifted in and out.

"That's not going to be good enough next week.

"We don't need to be told what we are up against."

Kiwi captain Nathan Cayless also looked glum.

"There were parts of the game we can be happy with but we are disappointed we let them back in the game," he said.

Three times England came back to within a try of New Zealand before Marshall's late match-winner finally put an anxious Kearney out of his misery.

"Not for one minute did I think we had the match in the bag. I know what they are capable of," Kearney said of England.

Shattered England coach Tony Smith lamented ten errors in each half.

"It was there for us, there was an opportunity. But because of the errors in the first half we didn't take it," he said.

"We weren't really (nervous). Some players put balls down that they normally don't put down.

"I am shattered. We all wanted to do well in this tournament.

"But we didn't produce (the level) that we can play in England - that's the disappointing thing."

England captain Peacock added: "Sport is brutal.

"There is no in the middle at this level.

"When you win it is fantastic, when you lose it's the worst ever - it kills you."