New Zealand 32 England 22

"Haka may be understood as a type of symphony in which the different parts of the body represent many instruments.NEW Zealand withstood a England fightback last night to charge into the World Cup final next Saturday night.

The hands, arms, legs, feet, voice, eyes, tongue and the body as a whole combine to express outrage, annoyance, joy or other feelings relevant to the purpose of the occasion."

- Wikipedia

The game was anyone's until the 78th minute when five-eighth Benji Marshall sealed it for the Kiwis with a try out wide.

All eyes were on England as the Kiwis started the haka. The Poms' last reaction to the Kiwi war cry - ignoring it before last week's game - triggered polar opposite views. It was downright disrespectful. Or it was a fair response to NZ's attempt at intimidation.

If someone is threatening to slit your throat, are you really obliged to stand there and watch them?

Whatever the truth of the matter, as many eyes were trained on the English players as the Kiwis when the battle call came.

What would England do? Form their own huddle again? Yawn? Walk off? The hokie pokie? Moon it?

They stood in line and watched. Kiwi Issac Luke looked suitably possessed, eyes rolling back, tongue out, howling. Marshall was full of the adrenaline the Tigers want from him more often.

Luke worked himself into a lather and then, almost comically, wandered off to start the game on the bench.

England enforcer Adrian Morley stood with his arms crossed, grinning wryly, seemingly unimpressed.

The Kiwis started like a train. Marshall sent winger Sam Perrett over for the opening try in the ninth minute for a 6-0 lead.

Marshall can do anything when he's in the mood and he was up for this, running direct lines, getting down and dirty. England winger Ade Gardner crossed shortly afterwards but Manu Vatuvei's tackle had pushed him out by about one centimetre.

England back-rower Ben Westwood was cautioned for a late hit on Marshall, which left the Kiwi pivot sprawled on the ground and complaining.

Marshall wasn't whingeing two minutes later when Lance Hohaia crossed for a soft try through woeful England defence.

When Jerome Ropati scored in the 22nd minute for what became 16-0, it appeared England may as well pack their bags and head for Heathrow.

Having failed to fire in a tournament they claimed they could win, having snubbed supporters by refusing to help promote the match with television interviews before the semi-final and having been so awful for the opening stoushes last night, they were about to limp home with their heads hung in shame.

Then captain Jamie Peacock barged over after a handling error from the enigmatic and error-prone Vatuvei. There was hope at 16-4. Not much hope, but some.

They launched another raid but coughed up possession and heads were being hung all over again. Ultimately, figuring out the appropriate response to the haka was the least of their problems.

Having been gifted possession in Kiwi territory in the 39th minute and punching upfield for what could have been a momentum-changing try just before the break, replacement forward Jon Wilkin spewed up the ball again. He shook his head, hands on hips in self-admonishment.

What a let-down. But then right on half-time, lock Rob Purdham broke from a scrum 45 metres from the Kiwi line and grubbered ahead for five-eighth Danny McGuire to score a brilliant, freakish and unexpected try for 16-10. Game on.

England second-rower Gareth Ellis was forced off with a suspected rib injury, collapsing as if shot by a musket. Another Vatuvei fumble. Bronson Harrison went over for the Kiwis but Martin Gleeson replied. A sideline conversion from Rob Burrow made it 22-16.

There was a mini-brawl. Morley started charging. The Kiwis have brief periods when they muscle up and look intimidating enough to threaten Australia. One accurate school of thought pondered how in heck were England still in it.

Ropati scored, McGuire did likewise. It was 28-22 with six minutes left, England charging; 10 metres from the Kiwi line, Purdham fumbled and Marshall scored. England could head for Heathrow after all.