Samoa's cool-headed Stephen Crichton broke England hearts with a dramatic Golden Point extra-time drop goal to dump the hosts out of the World Cup.
Shaun Wane’s side had thrashed the Pacific nation 60-6 four weeks ago on the opening day of the tournament. But they have transformed since then and produce a remarkable performance to deliver the ultimate revenge in a pulsating semi-final at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.
Gutted England, big favourites to meet champions Australia in next Saturday’s Old Trafford final and unbeaten thus far, will rue their most error-ridden display of the competition. But they still had countless chances to progress only to bomb when it mattered most.
England centre Herbie Farnworth’s second try in the 78th minute, improved by Tommy Makinson, had sent the game into extra-time. But Jack Welsby spilled trying to dummy, giving Anthony Milford a drop-goal shot.
Elliott Whitehead brilliantly charged that down but England weren’t let off when captain Sam Tomkins nudged a needless forward pass from dummy-half. In the next set, Samoa worked forward and Crichton - the talented Penrith centre who turned down the Kangaroos to play for Samoa - held his nerve with a 40m drop goal to send his country into their first-ever World Cup final.
He had already scored two tries, including a 60m intercept off Vcitor Radley’s pass in the 72nd minute that looked like sealing it. But England know they will only have themselves to blame for suffering a defeat that was even more painful than the 2013 Wembley semi-final loss to New Zealand.
Problems were plain to see earlier on. After England golden boy Dom Young dropped a kick with no one near him - systematic of the sort of day Wane’s side endured - the nine-try winger then shot out of the line and missed Jarome Luai who needed no second invite to get Tim Lafai over for the Salford centre’s second try in the 57th minute.
That put Samoa 20-12 ahead and England looked like further imploding when Tomkins slapped Luai on the head in backplay, prompting a furious response from the Penrith star. But they did keep their cool to see Farnworth brilliantly evade Crichton, Anthony Milford and Chanel Harris-Tavita to cross in the 63rd minute.
Makinson improved and then came a hugely debatable call four minutes later. Samoa captain Junior Paulo - who’d already been yellow carded - gave Tomkins the slightest of nudges after the England full-back kicked downfield and referee Gerard Sutton awarded a penalty.
Paulo, rightly, used his Captain’s Challenge expecting it to be reversed but it stood and Makinson did the rest. But there was no reprieve for Wane’s side and Samoa were worthy winners.
England were 10-6 down at the break after a dismal first half. They fell behind for the first time in the tournament when Lafai - working on a building site in Australia last year - eased around Salford team-mate Kallum Watkins far too easily in the sixth minute.
That was an eary sign Wane’s side were off and another was when they failed to score themselves when Samoa were reduced to 12 men. Paulo, who was only playing after having a one-game ban over-turned on Tuesday, was sin-binned for a dangerous tip tackle on Tom Burgess.
The Parramatta prop was lucky he didn’t see red. Two more of his team-mates followed him off the pitch two minutes later when Fa’aamanu Brown and Oregon Kaufusi suffered an almighty head clash when trying to halt England winger Makinson.
Both went off for HIAs and Brown - only playing after first-choice hooker Danny Levi flew home for personal reasons in the week - did not return. That meant Matt Parish’s side brought on their third-choice No 9 Chanel Harris-Tavita but it didn’t dampen their enthusiasm.
Watkins’ nightmare continued when he was put sliding over by Tomkins only to lose the ball when grounding following Lafai’s desperate effort. England did finally click when George Williams burst through the middle to usher Whitehead over in the 24th minute, Makinson convertingfor a 6-4 lead.
But it was soon extinguished when Hull second-row Ligi Sao picked up from dummy-half and exposed dodgy marker defence from Watkins and Jack Welsby to steal in down the shortside. Crichton slotted the first of his three goals and England were in utter disarray.
But they started the second period perfectly wehen Lafai suffered his own nightmare, spilling Williams’ kick on his own line under pressure from Watkins. A delirious John Bateman picked up the pieces to score, Makinson slotting the extras, but his side immediately let their advantage slip again.
Luai came up with the dancing feet close to the line, Paulo charged close and then produced truly amazing offload out of Williams tackle for Luai to flick on to Crichton to get over.
And it would be that man at the death who got them home.
