AUSTRALIA were superhuman for just over half an hour yesterday, scoring five tries with frightening aplomb, yet they had their frailties exposed by a gutsy England fightback from 26-0 that suggests Tony Smith’s team may yet have a future in the Gillette Four Nations rugby league tournament.

Under the pressure that a nervous England failed to exert before half-time, Australia spilt passes, dropped off tackles and lost discipline. With scrum-half Johnathan Thurston in the sin-bin for the final 10 minutes for holding down Lee Smith, there was even the possibility of the mother of all upsets. The Kangaroos managed to weather the storm, but their inquest will centre on how they came to be in such a situation after cruising through the first half. England began to play in Australia’s faces and on the back of a pack finally making the hard yards, the spindle-limbed Sam Tomkins, Wigan’s home-town hero, weaved a little of his magic. Tomkins’ array of flicked passes and teasing kicks got Australia’s defenders bending and turning and James Graham, Gareth Ellis, Sam Burgess and Eorl Crabtree careered into the Kangaroos with a renewed relish.

Had Danny McGuire shown more composure, England might have got closer than they did, and Smith may now be tempted to partner Tomkins with 19-year-old Richard Myler at half-back in Saturday’s must-win game against New Zealand in Huddersfield.

Unfortunately, England left themselves far too much to do after being torn apart by Greg Inglis, the awesomely built Australia centre, who threatened a repeat of his hat-trick in the World Cup record 52-4 slaughter of England 12 months ago. He romped clear from 80 metres and helped to lay on three of four more tries in a scintillating first 32 minutes.

Australia are rarely held pointless for a half and, with Burgess, Ellis and Smith scoring tries, England produced the spirited response that was absent during the World Cup. According to Tim Sheens, the Australia coach, he wouldn’t be surprised to see England in the final in two weeks’ time, to which Smith responded: “We’d love another crack at them.”

But New Zealand will have seen the gaps on the fringes of England’s defence and licked their lips. Damage limitation looked England’s only course of salvation, such was the simplicity with which Australia scored after four minutes. A quick ball shift by Thurston, a long pass by Darren Lockyer and the rampaging Inglis supplied captain Lockyer with a record-equalling 33rd try for his country.

With Thurston and Cameron Smith putting the ball on a sixpence, while England’s kickers out of hand couldn’t hit a barn door, Billy Slater scored twice in four minutes. Smith, Thurston and Lockyer whipped the ball wide in sending the full-back past a couple of despairing tacklers. England were still catching their breath when Anthony Watmough’s offload again unleashed Inglis and Slater cut back inside Ryan Hall to touch down beneath the posts.

For 20 unnerving minutes, Australia played error-free rugby, while England bludgeoned and blundered their way forward without ever really threatening the Kangaroos’ line. Tomkins barely saw the ball in the first half. When McGuire’s pass cannoned off Burgess and Thurston picked up to send Inglis clear for his try, and Inglis subsequently put Brett Morris over at the corner, England were actually worse off at 26-0 down than they had been trailing 22-4 in Melbourne.

Tom Briscoe was withdrawn after a chastening first half and Kyle Eastmond’s introduction spiced up England. When Tomkins chipped the Australian defence, Kevin Sinfield got possession into the hands of the unstoppable Burgess in lifting the Wigan crowd. If no longer carving the English open, Australia did resist for five successive sets of tackles until Tomkins sidestepped Lockyer and offloaded in the tackle to put Ellis over.

Belief surged through the home side, especially when Smith took Eastmond’s pass and beat Morris at the corner. Australia, though, despite being short-handed after Thurston’s departure, held on for the victory that almost certainly will take them through to the final at Elland Road.

Star man: Greg Inglis (Australia)

Scorers: England: Tries: Burgess 43, Ellis 68, Smith 73 Goals: Sinfield, Smith Australia: Tries: Lockyer 4, Slater 15, 18, Inglis 21, Morris 32 Goals: Thurston 3

Referee: S Ganson (England)

Attendance: 23,122

ENGLAND: S Briscoe. T Briscoe, L Smith, M Shenton, R Hall. D McGuire, S Tomkins. A Morley, J Roby, J Graham, J Peacock (capt), G Ellis, K Sinfield

AUSTRALIA: B Slater, B Morris, G Inglis, J Hodges, J Hayne, D Lockyer (capt), J Thurston, P Civoniceva, C Smith, B Hannant, A Watmough, P Gallen, N Hindmarsh