NZ Maori 35
England 28
New Zealand Maori capped a centenary of rugby in style, at the same time ensuring they should have a future for the next 100 years.
The Maori put on a stunning second-half display to put on 18 unanswered points and overrun an England team that had threatened to scrum them
off the park.
This England side, like Ireland before them, might bear little resemblance to the team that will take the field for the Six Nations next season, but don't try telling the Maori they haven't earned two more international scalps.
After playing the first two matches of this mini-tour for those that had gone before them, the theme for the Maori this week was that this game was for them and their own legacy. They could hardly have done more to etch themselves into history.
At halftime, such a result seemed unthinkable. England were dominating possession and the set-piece.
"At halftime it was quite frustrating because that intercept try was a real cheapie," said coach Jamie Joseph, who has given his Super 14 credentials a huge shunt in the right direction.
"But their gains were through our mistakes so there was still a lot of self belief and confidence in the team."
The Maori turned that around with two Hosea Gear tries that put the English into a spin from which they were never able to recover.
"They did some good things," England coach Martin Johnson said of the Maori. "They had very powerful runner who were a lot more effective on attack."
Gear's treble must surely put him in the frame for an All Blacks recall. Assistant coach Daryl Gibson said Gear and Luke McAlister had made strong claims for a Tri Nations' recall.
Gear was more circumspect, saying: "I can't afford to look too far ahead. All I wanted was to do my best for the Maori."
The end might have been tense, but the opening quarter was awesome.
England made a lie of the cliche that they are a monochrome side, with first five-eighth Charlie Hodgson seeking to bring giant fullback Delon Armitage into the line at every opportunity.
Delon's brother Steffon scored the first try after skilful footwork from Chris Ashton, and four minutes later, when Hodgson was lining up a handy shot that would have made it 16-3, the Maori party was looking like a fizzer.
But the kick hit the woodwork and 15 seconds later the ball was being planted at the other end of the park by Hosea Gear.
That was hard to top, but they gave it a go. Aaron Smith stole a ball from the base of the dominant English scrum, Stephen Brett weaved his way through porous defence and Liam Messam beat the cover to the corner.
Heady stuff, but it couldn't last. England was dominating the scrum and forward exchanges to the point where they had a 54-18 ruck advantage and a 28-17 lead at halftime.
The scrum dominance and field position had to amount to points and it eventually did when Danny Care scooted over from a quick tap.
The "cheapie" intercept followed and it was hard to get overly optimistic about a Maori win.
"We had belief in the changing rooms at halftime," McAlister said.
Fitting them that he atoned for his first-half error by busting the line. From phase play Gear crossed, then crossed again five minutes later.
An arm wrestle developed before two Willie Ripia penalties stretched the lead. The defence then took over.
"We really wanted to win this game for ourselves and that showed in the last five to 10 minutes," Joseph said.
NZ Maori 35 (Hosea Gear 3, Liam Messam tries; Luke McAlister pen 3 con, Willie Ripia 2 pen)
England 28 (Steffon Armitage, Danny Care, Chris Ashton tries; Charlie Hodgson 3 pen 2 con)
Halftime: 17-28.
