New Zealand and England met on Saturday in their Four Nations clash at the Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Steve McNamara's side needed to win by 10 points to definitely secure their place in the final, while the Kiwis only needed a win following their two victories in their opening two games.
The hosts just had enough to edge out England with a 16-14 victory, leaving McNamara's men needing a Samoa victory over Australia by a margin of less than eight points in their game on Sunday to get them a rematch against the Kiwis.
Read how all the action unfolded in our commentary below.
Good morning and welcome to the live commentary of the Four Nations clash between New Zealand and England.
England need to beat the Kiwis by 10 points this morning to advance to the final of the Four Nations following their defeat at the hands of Australia last week.
If Steve McNamara's side lose this morning, then their fate is in the hands of Samoa to defeat Australia, without overhauling their points differential. Therefore, it would be much easier for the Three Lions to get the job done themselves.
ENGLAND: S Tomkins, Charnley, Watkins, Sarginson, Hall, Widdop, Smith, G Burgess, Clark, Graham, Farrell, J Tomkins, O'Loughlin.
Replacements: Whitehead, Ferres, T Burgess, Hill.
England have a chance at revenge this morning for their defeat to the Kiwis in the semi-final of the World Cup last year. The Three Lions looked to have secured their place in the final of the tournament on home soil as they lead 18-14 in the final minute. However, Shaun Johnson produced a moment of magic to score a try and add the conversion to break English hearts.
NEW ZEALAND: Hiku, Nightingale, Kenny-Dowall, Whare, Vatuvei, Foran, Johnson, Bromwich, Luke, Blair, Mannering, Proctor, Taumalolo.
Replacements: Leuluai, Eastwood, Taupau, Harris.
England full-back Sam Tomkins is fired up for the match following his side's defeat in the semi-final last year, he told BBC Sport: "We certainly feel like we owe them one."
Former Great Britain head coach Brian Noble is adamant England can win this morning, but feels that they will have to play to their best, he told BBC Sport: "Of course England can win. This stadium is like a greenhouse, it is like a sports hall, everything reverberating.
"England have got to play well, they have picked a good side and this game is a close one to call. If England can kick a bit better than last week, then I am confident they will come out with a win."
England are finalising their preparations before kickoff in their warm-up in the Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Warm ups. #4Nations pic.twitter.com/BsA4sFOGvK
— NRL (@NRL) November 8, 2014
Stat before kickoff! England's last win over New Zealand came three years ago in the Four Nations in a 28-6 victory at the KC Stadium in Hull.
The players are making their way out onto the field, so we should be underway shortly.
The anthems are complete. Now time for the haka! England could take advice from Australia a few years ago on how to deal with the intimidation factor.
We're underway in this Four Nations clash.
TRY! New Zealand 6-0 England (Nightingale)
Disastrous start for England! New Zealand take the lead in their first possession as they power through the middle of the line and gain 68 metres before Johnson kicks to the sideline. Nightingale goes above Hall to claim the ball and touch down for the try. Johnson adds the extras from the conversion. England have a lot of work to do now!
TRY! New Zealand 6-4 England (Hall)
England hit right back at the Kiwis with an excellent score of their own. The Three Lions win a penalty to extend their series in New Zealand territory and they take full advantage as Watkins runs at the line and draws tacklers in. The ball is then spread to wing with speed to allow Hall to crash over in the corner. Widdop can't add the extras so McNamara's side trail by two points.
Another strong series from England as they power into New Zealand territory once more, directly from the kickoff. Farrell evades several tacklers inside the 20 metre line, but he eventually gets decked by three tacklers. Smith puts the ball high in the corner, but Whare was there to gather the ball.
New Zealand miss an excellent chance to counter upfield as England over commit pushing forward, but the Kiwis can't capitalise as Taumalolo throws the ball out of play.
England win another penalty close to the goalline, but the New Zealand defence manages to hold firm as the Three Lions try to misdirect their defence left then right. Watkins makes a surge down the right, but he loses control of the ball and knocks on to alleviate the pressure on the home side.
The England defence has been solid since the opening two minutes of the game, and they quickly win back possession and drive back at the New Zealand line. Busy play from Clark and Widdop earns them another series deep inside Kiwi territory as they force a penalty.
New Zealand are resolute at the back once more as Sarginson is stopped right on the line by a great last-ditch stop by Nightingale. Widdop kicks towards the goalline, but Johnson gathers and is immediately decked by Burgess.
An error from Burgess allows New Zealand to win the ball cheaply from the drop out and they raid deep into England territory and a penalty on O'Loughlin allows them to extend the series. However, on the fourth tackle Whare drops the ball inside of two metres to spurn the chance to extend his side's lead.
TRY! New Zealand 6-8 England (Charnley)
England take the lead in the match as Charnley goes over in the right corner following excellent attacking work deep in New Zealand territory from O'Loughlin and quick handoffs sees Charnley have all sorts of space to turn into for the try. Widdop hits the post again with the conversion.
TRY! New Zealand 12-8 England (Nightingale)
An end-to-end game this one as New Zealand retake the lead through Nightingale. England lost possession upfield through Tomkins and the Kiwis surged forward in numbers. Johnson spreads the ball quickly to Whare, who just offloads in time to beat the tackle of Hall, who comes off the flank, leaving Nightingale to coast in for the try. Johnson fires the kick through the posts again to fire his side four points ahead.
The teams exchange a couple of possessions without a score as they both seem to be tiring before the break. England especially seem to have lost their early vigour from the first 20 minutes of the match.
Sam Tomkins commits a major error on his own goalline as he loses control as he tries to offload too quickly after he did well to gather Johnson's high kick. New Zealand get a series right on England's door step and have an excellent chance to put the game beyond McNamara's men.
New Zealand spurn the chance right on the goalline as the England rearguard holds firm, long enough to force the error from Johnson as he tries to find Nightingale again down the right. However, this time his pass evades the hands of the winger and sails into touch.
England come within inches of scoring just before the break as Smith does well to work a way inside the 10 metre line. The ball is then offloaded to Farrell and he crashes through the line, but gets tripped up two metres short on the sixth tackle, allowing New Zealand to escape.
HALF-TIME: New Zealand 12-8 England
New Zealand lead at the break despite England having the best of the first half. McNamara's side will rue a couple of errors that they made which allowed the Kiwis to score two tries. The Three Lions did play well in the attacking third of the pitch, but the home side showed resilience in their defending to keep them to just two scores, while the post kept Widdop from adding the conversions.
England won't be too disappointed with their performance in the first half, but they have a lot of work to do to put themselves in a position to reach the final of the competition.
The players are back out for the second half, and we should be back underway shortly.
We're back underway in the Forsyth Barr Stadium.
England come within inches of a try as Charnley makes a surge upfield down the right. The ball is quickly spread to the left for Hall to sprint down the sideline. He touches the ball down, but he lost control just before and because it was the last tackle, New Zealand take over possession.
TRY! New Zealand 16-8 England (Vatuvei)
A dagger blow for England as New Zealand raid straight back upfield and extend their advantage as Vatuvei goes over down the right sideline. The Three Lions had initially held off the Kiwis, but Johnson's kick was excellent and Sam Tomkins couldn't escape before he was decked behind the tryline to earn the home side another series. The pressure proved to be too great on the the next series as Vatuvei was played in for the score.
England spurn a great chance to get back into the game as Clark bursts through the line and he plows all the way to the 20-metre line before Burgess comes up in support. Burgess continues the good work as he gets to the two-metre line, but as he offloads to Widdops the Kiwis get back in numbers to halt the progress. England are forced to go to the right, where Tomkins's pass is knocked on by Ferres, killing the series.
TRY! New Zealand 16-14 England (Hall)
England are back in the game as Hall goes over for his second try of the match in the left corner. This time he is able to ground the ball properly to register the score. England got a chance to put the Kiwis under extreme pressure with as they earned another series right on the five-metre line. Quick ball was produced and spread quickly to the left for Hall to notch the try.
England have a narrow escape as Vatuvei somehow loses the ball with the line at his mercy as Watkins makes a last-ditch covering tackle after Johnson had escaped the clutches of several tacklers on the sixth play of the series.
The Three Lions press forward again and they make good ground into New Zealand territory, but they can make it count as Farrell is called for offside as he tries to chase down Widdop's kick.
Heroic defending from England on the line as Smith and Sam Tomkins halt the progress of Foran as he tried to get in for the score, but he just got floored before he could cross the tryline. Johnson kicks on the final tackle and Hall gathers and raids upfield on a counter.
New Zealand's turn to defend their line as Tomkins tries to get to the tryline, but he is halted by a couple of tacklers and the home side manage to force England back and win possession.
Johnson breaks upfield down the right as he evades the tackle of Hall, and he has Whare in support as he offloads. Sam Tomkins manages to get back just in time to make the tackle to stop the attack to keep England in the game.
It's now or never for England as they need to win the game at the very least to keep their hopes of reaching the final alive.
They do manage to make progress upfield, but a couple of errors from Watkins and Joel Tomkins hands possession back to New Zealand. Not what McNamara's side needed there.
New Zealand pen England deep in their own half, but Watkins manages to give his man a quick shift to find space down the right. He tries to offload to Charnley but his foot goes just into touch as he releases and New Zealand breathe again.
DRAMA! England breakaway through Widdop as he blocks Johnson's kick on the line. They power right to the goalline where they win a penalty on the last tackle to have one last crack at the New Zealand defence.
England try to spread the ball quickly, but Graham knocks the ball on and the game is over.
FULL-TIME: New Zealand 16-14 England
England lose to New Zealand again in dramatic circumstances as they just couldn't execute in the final third of the pitch to secure the victory they needed. Their fate now rests in the hands of Samoa, who need to beat Australia by fewer than eight points to see McNamara's side through to the final.
New Zealand reach the final where they could still face all three teams. They will want to play better than they did in this game if they are to win the competition, as England left a lot of scoring opportunities on the field.
Thanks for joining our commentary this morning. Stay with Sports Mole throughout the day with our coverage of all Saturday's sporting events. But from me, it's goodbye.
