England sets up World Cup final clash against Australia after beating Tonga 20-18

ENGLAND coach Wayne Bennett has booked an explosive World Cup final clash with Mal Meninga’s Australia after the Poms broke Tonga’s hearts.

Jermaine McGillvary celebrates a try with England teammate Gareth Widdop.

GOD Save the Queen. Greetings Mal ... here comes Wayne.

England coach Wayne Bennett has booked an explosive Ashes grudge match with Mal Meninga’s Australia after the Poms broke Tonga’s hearts to charge into the World Cup final.

Tonga have been the Cinderella story of the World Cup, but their colourful fairytale ended in tears as England displayed Bennett’s clinical edge to prevail 20-18 in a semi-final thriller at Mt Smart Stadium.

Before a heaving, high-octane pro-Tonga crowd of 30,003, the Poms showed poise can trump passion to set-up a pulsating decider with the old enemy this Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium.

Jermaine McGillvary celebrates a try with England teammate Gareth Widdop.

There was drama to the last second. Tonga looked shot at 20-0, before tries in the 73rd, 77th and 78th minutes sensationally whittled England’s lead to two points.

In the end, England hung on ... but not before Tonga had claims to being robbed after official Matt Cecchin refused to use the video referee when Andrew Fifita crashed over as the full-time siren sounded.

Fifita appeared to be stripped and he regathered to score, but Cecchin ruled a knock-on to the dismay of the Tongan prop.

Shattered Tonga coach Kristian Woolf slammed the match officials’ inconsistency after the video referee overturned a no-try ruling against Gareth Widdop in the 16th minute to give England a 12-0 lead.

“I just can’t believe we don’t have a look at that (Fifita incident),” he said.

Andrew Fifita loses the ball on the way to the try-line.

Andrew Fifita reacts after his try attempt in the final seconds was disallowed.

“The try that (Widdop) scored ... Andrew Fifita looks like he gets his arm underneath and they looked at it so many times to find a way that he hasn’t put his arm underneath.

“The game was on the line. It was the last play. I really don’t understand that.”

Fifita said: “I was happy with it as a try. It was very hurtful at the end, but we’re proud Tongans for what we achieved in this tournament.”

Not surprisingly, Bennett disagreed with his Tongan foes on several fronts. He was adamant England were the better team, which they were. And he backed Cecchin’s adjudication on Fifita.

“It was no try — it was a loose carry,” Bennett said.

Of the heartstopping finale, he said: “I wasn’t nervous. I just wanted the full-time hooter to go. Time was on our side.

“It was a quality game of football. At the end of the day, the defence won the game for us and I was pleased with that.”

England forward Sam Burgess thanks the crowd after his side’s win over Tonga.

Not since 1995 have Australia and England squared off in a World Cup final — and the latest instalment will have a spicy personal edge involving Queensland icons Bennett and Meninga.

Bennett lost out to Meninga for the Kangaroos job two years ago, furious at the process that cost him the coveted post. Now the ego, ambitions and simmering tensions of two famous sporting nations and their coaches will collide at Suncorp Stadium in the most enthralling England-Australia league contest for two decades.

Meninga and Bennett will predictably play the PR game this week but beneath the fairy-floss niceties, there is much at stake.

In 2008, Bennett famously helped Steve Kearney’s New Zealand upset Australia in the World Cup decider at Suncorp. Now Wayne is back to torment Australia again.

ENGLAND 20 (J Bateman J McGillvary G Widdop tries G Widdop 4 goals) bt TONGA 18 (S Havili T Lolohea T Pangai Junior tries S Taukeiaho 3 goals) at Mt Smart Stadium. Referee: Matt Cecchin. Crowd: 30,003

Originally published as England sets up World Cup final clash against Australia after beating Tonga 20-18