England 6, New Zealand 10 Showing the intestinal fortitude of true champions, New Zealand surged into the final for the seventh consecutive time at the expense of a game England outfit before a packed gallery at National Sports Club last night.

In what was an enthralling battle the All Blacks used a sturdy `bend but don't break' defence as their main calling card to repel their opponents, who could only muster two field goals from 70 minutes of all out action.

And as the final whistle blew to signal the end all on hand stood in tandem, clapping and voicing obvious pleasure at a great contest filled with ebb and flow, but finishing in predictable fashion, with the All Blacks bathed in triumph.

A more spry England bunch, clad in brilliant white uniforms with red and blue trim, took advantage of the slow starting New Zealand wearing their traditional baggy, grey outfits, taking a 3-0 lead after 13 minutes when full-back Simon Langford booted a field goal through the uprights.

However, this lead was short lived as a brilliant piece of passing in traffic between centre Joe Stanley and full-back Robbie Deans resulted in the latter scoring New Zealand's first try in the 15th minute.

The play at once appeared dead as Stanley was gang-tackled two yards from the try-line, yet he somehow managed to wriggle free long enough to hand off to Deans, who produced a telling burst that carried him over the line for an unconverted try, giving New Zealand their first lead.

Langford missed regaining the advantage for England in the 24th minute when he missed a field goal attempt from nearly the identical spot as his first kick, leaving the score at 5-3, which held until half-time.

The Brits wasted little time regaining the lead following the break as wing Simon Hogg took his turn with a field goal attempt and was successful in the 45th minute.

Still, the All Blacks again displayed their resourcefulness, storming right back with prop Steve McDowell plowing his way in from three yards after his team had methodically marched down the pitch, with the crucial moment coming when they won a maul on the left that produced the chance for McDowell.

There would be no further scoring, but play continued to entertain as England fought furiously in attempting to get back into the contest.

Mike Harrison came up with a case of the `drops' at an inopportune time in the 59th minute while trying to nip in at the left corner and England had two more chances during the same possession, but on each occasion were turned away by the All Blacks defence.

And New Zealand manager and lock Andy Haden inferred as much in assessing of his side's showing.

"That of big defence,'' said Haden. "Defence! Defence! Defence! The tackles were made and so we ended up with a victory.

"They attacked hard and are a strong side and are probably more vigorous than us and younger and credit to them, they played well. But we knew that would happen. We knew it was coming.

"You can come as much as you like at a defence like that. The more they ran the less they looked like they were going to score a try. The backs were in there really defending like maniacs.'' For England manager Mike Coley this was a night where his men performed well but came up just shy of the desired target.

"We know they're a good side, we knew they were a good side before they arrived. It was two very close sides there and it was going to be one score whatever happened and that's why we kicked our field goals, you always kick your field goals in rugby, it's not a proper game otherwise,'' said Coley, nursing a sore arm and a face full of road rash following a recent moped accident.

"They were stronger in defence than we were in the end they scored two tries and us two field goals, that's the way it goes.

"They're a good side and we always knew they would be. We gave it our best shot this year, we didn't go for the hospitality too much, we stayed off the juice last night and had a quiet day today and for the first time ever had a training session this morning, so we were really taking it seriously.

"This tournament gets harder and harder to win. It's a very difficult tournament now and you're talking about guys who have finished their international careers and are asked to do it all over again.'' The night's feature contest was in stark contrast to the curtain raiser involving border rivals Canada and the United States battling for a place in the plate final.

Mark Gale gave the Americans a 5-0 lead in the 22nd minute, finding room up the middle for a 20-yard jaunt over the line and converted his own try.

That score held until three minutes after half-time when the score was levelled as Canada's Tom Woods broke two tackles before making telling final lunge for the try which Owen Carol converted.

Carol notched a field goal seven minutes later giving Canada a 10-7 lead, which held until the final moments, but just as the Canadians appeared destined for the final Mike Glass erased any such notions, bursting in on the right side as time expired.

Photos by David Skinner ENGLAND UNDER SEIGE -- England looks to win this maul during last night's encounter against New Zealand.

IN THERE -- Robbie Deans scores New Zealand's first try last night.