Melbourne: Australia stayed alive in the Four Nations rugby league tournament with a thrilling 16-12 comeback win over England in Melbourne on Sunday.

Facing the threat of missing their first major final in 60 years, the Kangaroos clawed back after trailing 12-4 at half-time to score two converted tries in the second half.

England, who would have joined New Zealand in the final with victory, led up until 17 minutes from full-time as the Kangaroos came home strongly.

The match finished controversially when the video referee disallowed a fingertip try to winger Ryan Hall in the final minute which would have given England a winning chance with a sideline conversion.

The ball was loose over the Australian try-line and Greg Inglis desperately tried to knock it dead in goal with Hall scrambling to get his hand on the ball.

After several replays the video referee ruled that Hall had the last touch and gave Australia the ball to close out the match.

England must now beat New Zealand in Dunedin next Saturday if they are to reach the final while Australia get their chance to make the decider against Samoa in Wollongong the following day.

The Kangaroos, rugby league’s dominant nation and long unchallenged at the top of the rankings, have not missed a major final since the 1954 World Cup.

England forwards Liam Farrell and Sean O’Loughlin both went on the referee’s report in a rugged opening before the Kangaroos scored first in the 17th minute.

Daly Cherry-Evans put Greg Bird into the clear and he passed to centre Michael Jennings, who beat three tackles to score the game’s opening try.

But England responded magnificently with two tries in the space of five minutes.

Centre Kallum Watkins scored off a Sam Tomkins pass following a long break by winger Hall.

Hall was over minutes later for his 22nd Test try after a deft pass from centre Dan Sarginson and Gareth Widdop converted both tries for a 12-4 lead at half-time.

England could have scored just before the interval but the ball went to ground off a Tomkins break.

Inglis had a try disallowed early in the second half when the video referee spotted an illegal block by Boyd Cordner on England scrum-half Matt Smith in the defensive line.

But the Kangaroos closed the gap to two points in the 57th minute when replacement Ben Hunt dived on Cameron Smith’s grubber kick to score a converted try.

The Kangaroos hit the front 16-12 six minutes later when Cherry-Evans sliced through in between tackles and sent Inglis racing over for the decisive converted try.