Wilkinson finds the way out for England

England 31 New Zealand 28

Forgetting for a moment the impression that New Zealand, with debutants left, right and centre, were more green than All Black, England got the victory they craved at the ground they love. But, and it's a big but, it was not supposed to end like this.

At the death New Zealand had England on the rack in their own castle and, but for a tremendous cover tackle by Ben Cohen on Ben Blair, would have lost once again to their joint nemesis – the land of the long white cloud and the huge dark shadow of Jonah Lomu.

"It was a very strange game," England captain Martin Johnson said. "We had a lot of territory in the first half without gaining much advantage and we got every break going early in the second half. But then we fell off the pace a bit and we could have lost that to a very, very good team."

Jonny Wilkinson, named man of the match after a haul of 21 points, said: "We got the job done. We are not trying to look the best, its all about winning."

In the short term, England, without a win over New Zealand since 1993 and skittled over here by Lomu in the 1999 World Cup, scraped home by two goals, a try, three penalties and a drop goal to four goals.

In the long term, and that means next year's World Cup in Australia, it has to be said that New Zealand took more out of this – a lot more – than their opponents. John Mitchell, the New Zealand coach whose knowledge of England was considerably more informed than Clive Woodward's was of the Kiwis, had said in midweek. "Its all about putting in a winning performance. Nothing changes, nothing ever changes. You can judge my team after Saturday," he said.

Despite three-quarters of all-conquering Canterbury being rested from this mini-tour, Mitchell refused to accept that his squad were seriously depleted and after this you could see why. The competition to fill an All Black jersey looks much fiercer than that for the all-white.

After a chorus of "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" had rudely drowned out the Haka – the rookies from New Zealand had had to practise it earlier in the week – England did well to go in at half time holding a 17-14 lead. They failed to capitalise on the customary early advantage from Wilkinson's boot and found themselves behind as a magnificent match swung one way and then the other. "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" was never heard again.

As Johnson said, England were off the pace in the final quarter and that is Woodward's biggest worry. Another is that England, for all their possession, did not look as incisive as New Zealand as the try count of 4-3 to the visitors would show.

After Wilkinson kicked two penalties the All Blacks hit the front on 14 minutes. Carlos Spencer exploited a dummy runner to link with Keith Lowen and the latter put Lomu over in the left-hand corner, the great wing dipping his right shoulder to smash through Jason Robinson and Mike Tindall.

With the England scrummage working at full throttle, the New Zealand line came under severe pressure, but the killer ingredient, pace at centre, was missing. The siege was lifted when Matt Dawson, a couple of yards from the line, put in a lofted little chip which Will Greenwood could not chase after running into Spencer. It was not the best option.

Wilkinson kicked his side ahead again with a drop goal but England were then stunned by a clinical counter attack. Dawson began the comedy of errors with a dangerous loop pass which was snaffled up by Taine Randell, but the captain's pass for his backs was intercepted by Richard Hill, who in turn, trying to find Greenwood, had his pass intercepted by Tana Umaga. He released Doug Howlett on a run from the 10-metre line to the posts via a detour around Robinson.

England had a reprieve when Blair failed with a penalty and at the end of the first half and at the start of the second, the All Blacks conceded 22 points in 15 minutes.

Leading 14-9, they found themselves adrift 31-14. First Wilkinson added another penalty and then, after the forwards had plundered six phases of possession, James Simpson-Daniel and Wilkinson sent Lewis Moody in at the corner.

A few minutes after the re-start Hill, who had an outstanding game at No 7 – as did his opposite number Marty Holah – before going off with a blood injury, turned over All Black possession, enabling England to sweep up-field where Wilkinson noticed a gap in defence and coolly chipped towards the posts and collected to dive over. England were in full cry and when Ben Johnston, on for Greenwood, caught Andrew Mehrtens, who had replaced Spencer, man and ball, Wilkinson managed to flick it to Ben Cohen and the wing powered over from 45 yards, beating Blair in the process.

It was looking reminiscent of the slaughters that England annually inflict here on their Six Nations opponents but the All Blacks, of course, are a different breed. And in the extraordinary Lomu they not only have a big man but a man for the big occasion. Once again he inspired the comeback with another smash and grab try in the 57th minute as he appeared in midfield and crashed through Tindall, Cohen and Johnston: 31-21 and England were on the back foot.

Howlett would have been in for a try but for a forward pass and Umaga wasted a glorious chance with a knock-on.

However, after another barnstorming Lomu run – during which he handed off Simpson-Daniel and then bowled through Phil Vickery, the two Gloucester players heading in the direction of Hounslow – the All Blacks scored their fourth try; Sam Broomhall surged towards the England line where Danny Lee, the replacement scrum-half sold an outrageous dummy before cutting inside to wrong-foot the defence. It looked all black for the shell-shocked Red Rose brigade but first Cohen produced his try-saving tackle and finally Andrew Hore failed to find his jumper at a line-out a metre from the England line. Crisis over. For now.

Cohen the saver said: "If I'd missed that tackle I'd have packed my bags, got into my car, gone home and never played for England again."

England 31
Tries: Moody, Wilkinson, Cohen
Cons: Wilkinson 2
Pens: Wilkinson 3
Drop: Wilkinson

New Zealand 28
Tries: Lomu 2, Howlett, Lee
Cons: Blair 2, Mehrtens 2

Half-time: 17-14 Attendance: 73,000

Twickenham line-ups

England: J Robinson (Sale); J Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester), W Greenwood (Harlequins), M Tindall (Bath), B Cohen (Northampton); J Wilkinson (Newcastle), M Dawson (Northampton); T Woodman (Gloucester), S Thompson (Northampton), P Vickery (Gloucester), M Johnson (Leicester, capt), D Grewcock (Bath), L Moody (Leicester), L Dallaglio (Wasps), R Hill (Saracens). Replacements: B Johnston (Saracens) for Greenwood h-t; N Back (Leicester) for Hill 49-63, for Dallaglio 70; B Kay (Leicester) for Grewcock, 61; A Healey (Leicester) for Simpson-Daniel 77; M Regan (Leeds), J Leonard (Harlequins), T Stimpson (Leicester).

New Zealand: B Blair (Canterbury); D Howlett (Auckland), T Umaga (Wellington), K Lowen (Waikato), J Lomu (Wellington); C Spencer (Auckland), S Devine (Auckland); J McDonnell (Otago), A Hore (Taranaki), K Meeuws (Auckland), A Williams (Auckland), K Robinson (Waikato), T Randell (Otago, capt), S Broomhall (Canterbury), M Holah (Waikato. Replacements: D Lee (Otago) for Devine h-t; A Mehrtens (Canterbury) for Spencer h-t, M Robinson (Canterbury) for Lowen 45; B Mika (Auckland) for Robinson 62.

Referee: J Kaplan (South Africa).