• All Blacks beaten at World Cup for first time in 12 years • Tuilagi’s second-minute try sets tone for England

No one connected with English rugby will ever forget the annus mirabilis of 2003 but finally Martin Johnson and co have some serious competition. While Eddie Jones’s squad are still 80 minutes short of their ultimate ambition, it is impossible to recall any Red Rose side, ancient or modern, playing better than this.

If it sounds faintly unreal to report that New Zealand, the tournament favourites and previously unbeaten in 18 World Cup matches dating back to 2007, could conceivably have been beaten by 30 unanswered points that is the plain, unvarnished truth. Their dreams of becoming the first team to win three consecutive Webb Ellis Cups were not so much dashed on a humid evening as sliced and diced by a bunch of sword-wielding Samurai warriors.

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New Zealand, so dominant en route to the last four, could cope with neither the extra power at England’s disposal nor their defensive strength and tactical acumen after Manu Tuilagi’s second-minute score had set the spectacular early tone.

No need for a super over to settle this particular Anglo-Kiwi sporting contest or a slide-rule to decide where this effort ranked in recent times. Not since that damp Sydney night 16 years ago has English rugby enjoyed a more stunning outcome.

In all the assorted landmarks – Jones has become the first coach to secure two World Cup victories over New Zealand and the national team are into their first final since 2007 – it was the way England did it that will stick longest in the memory. Their forwards knew they had to play the collective game of their lives and duly did so. Maro Itoje was absolutely everywhere and, along with Tom Curry, Sam Underhill and Courtney Lawes, produced a world-class performance when it mattered most.

George Ford, taking over the kicking duties from a limping Owen Farrell, kicked four vital penalties and when the inevitable All Black fightback belatedly materialised some of the white-shirted tackling, particularly from Underhill, was off the scale.

When it was all over and the crowd had finished belting out Wonderwall and Hey Jude as if the trophy was already heading back to Twickenham, it was instructive to listen to Steve Hansen and his captain, Kieran Read, acknowledge that New Zealand had been beaten by a better side, pure and simple.

England, furthermore, had two tries disallowed, missed two kickable penalties and a drop goal and gifted the All Blacks their second-half try via a glaring lineout malfunction. Even the unknown individual supposedly spying on England training in midweek did not see this coming.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest England players celebrate after Manu Tuilagi’s try. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Observer

From the moment England calmly formed their own deliberate V-shaped arrowhead to greet the haka, encroaching slightly into the Kiwi half for extra effect, this was that rarest of beasts, a complete All Black nightmare.

Inside 98 seconds England had already made their intentions clear, a superb attacking sequence ending with Tuilagi plunging over by the posts. Farrell’s conversion made it 7-0 and it was a full seven minutes before New Zealand could take anything remotely resembling a breath.

The sight of the diminutive Ford stripping the startled tighthead Nepo Laulala further symbolised England’s intent and even the multitalented Beauden Barrett looked rattled.

New Zealand were fortunate not to concede a second try when Tuilagi intercepted the full-back’s attempted long pass but Jonny May, who tweaked a hamstring against Australia in the quarter-final, was unable, for once in his high-speed life, to burn off the cover.

The All Blacks had another let-off when the outstanding Underhill, having collected Kyle Sinckler’s pass, charged over for a potential score that was ruled out on the grounds that Curry’s decoy run had illegally cleared a defender from his path.

Only with a limping Farrell clearly in discomfort did England’s momentum slow momentarily but they still spent more than two-thirds of the opening half in their opponents’ territory and mostly forced New Zealand’s dangerous backs to live off scraps. A 45-metre penalty from Ford extended England’s interval lead to 10-0 and left Hansen and his players staring into oblivion.

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Even the famously demanding Jones could hardly have wished for more, with his players having followed his gameplan virtually to the letter. As long ago as last November, after his side’s 16-15 defeat to New Zealand at Twickenham, the head coach was making clear exactly how England would handle any rematch in Japan. “If you’re prepared to play a certain way against the All Blacks – and you can do it very well – you can make them uncomfortable. That hasn’t changed since Adam was a boy.”

The blank first half was noteworthy in itself as the All Blacks’ first at any World Cup since 1991. Their predicament could have been even worse had England not had another potentially match-clinching try ruled out in the 46th minute, this time for a slight knock forward in the preceding maul before Ben Youngs dummied his way over for what would have been an outstanding finish.

A 50th-minute penalty from Ford made partial amends, only for an English lineout aberration close to their own line to gift the defiant Ardie Savea a soft 57th-minute try, converted by a subdued Richie Mo’unga.

Could the All Blacks, who had lost nine of their 105 Test matches under Hansen, possibly escape and deny England a winner-takes-all date with either South Africa or Wales? The answer was an emphatic no, with two further Ford penalties steering the English chariot sweetly into the final.

Play like this next Saturday and they will be unstoppable.