England tried to launch flanker Neil Back on a wide-angled run but they could not penetrate the Samoan defence.

England had been smashed out of their stride and needed something quickly to restore confidence against a Samoan side who looked far more composed with ball in hand.

Samoa came agonisingly close to moving 13 points clear, but a 40-metre Va’a penalty bounced back off the post.

Wilkinson then found touch deep inside Samoa’s 22, establishing a first really threatening attacking position – and the result was immediate.

England’s forwards rolled on from the resulting line-out – a classic Leicester move – and Tigers flanker Back touched down to claim a pressure-relieving try.

Wilkinson brilliantly landed a touchline conversion and then booted a 35-metre penalty on 28 minutes to tie the score at 10-10.

English relief was almost tangible; yet Samoa responded in direct fashion, putting pressure on England inside their own 22 and establishing an attacking platform from which they prospered.

England, somewhat predictably, conceded a penalty – and Va’a came up trumps from 20 metres to put Samoa back in front at 13-10.

Johnson then gave away another penalty chance on 34 minutes, and England were punished in ruthless fashion as Va’a found the target from 48 metres.

It was woeful indiscipline by England, who were visibly rattled by an outstanding Samoan effort – and Wilkinson confirmed their problems by inexplicably hitting the post with a 25-metre penalty kick.

Even superman Wilkinson had caught the English disease of panicking under pressure, and as half-time approached it needed something special to buckle Samoa’s hard-hitting defence.

England had to content themselves with Wilkinson’s second successful penalty, though, which meant they trailed – against all odds – by three points at half-time.