Substitute Danny Care scored late on as an imperfect England came from behind to beat a superb Samoa in a helter-skelter thriller at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

Trailing to a brace of terrific Nigel Ah-Wong tries in the first half, England had to rely on their bench, replacement Care scurrying over late on as Steve Borthwick and co could breathe an almighty sigh of relief at maintaining their winning run at this tournament.

Stating their intent straight away, England’s first penalty in Samoan territory was pinged to the corner, Jamie George’s lineout was taken only for Samoa to get an easy out, from a knock-on.

Soon enough though, England broke through courtesy of a lovely flowing move as Joe Marchant moved it to Samoa-born Manu Tuilagi who drew the defender perfectly before unleashing Ollie Chessum to his left, the Leicester man demonstrating his pace to finish.

Owen Farrell fired his first effort off the tee wide, needing just two points to overtake Jonny Wilkinson’s record as England’s all-time points scorer, the kicking blues also affecting Samoa’s fly-half, Lima Sopoaga who sprung a straightforward penalty badly wide.

Tuilagi, enjoying himself immensely, then scorched through a blazing gap in the Samoa defence, blue bodies desperately piling back with full-back, Duncan Paia’aua making a try-saving tackle.

Farrell then fired through three points, a significant moment for the skipper who motored past Wilkinson's long-standing, twenty-two years, record. 

Seilala Mapusa’s men began to spark back, however, and a fine attack culminated in an overlap on the right flank, number eight Steven Luatua timing a pass perfectly into the arms of winger, Nigel Ah-Wong who accelerated into the corner.

Sopoaga’s successful conversion made it a one-point game all of a sudden, 8-7.

Spurred on, Samoa put together another series of astounding passes, carving England open as hooker, Sama Malolo charged for the line, denied by a last-ditch tackle as a defence which had only conceded one try in three games before kick-off, found themselves on the ropes.

Declining three points, Samoa kicked to the corner and were rewarded with a scintillatingly executed second score as Danny Toala spun a devilishly aimed Crossfield kick out to Al-Wong who gathered calmly and finished, the finesse to a fantastic move which Sopoaga superbly converted.

Uncertainty was causing England all kinds of, before, unencountered problems and Paia’aua thought he’d profited on a loose bouncing ball, gleefully puncing and scoring only for Steve Borthwick’s side to be reprieved by a late, spotted by the TMO, knock-on by Tumua Manu.

Al-Wong went close again, grounding brilliantly in the corner only for his foot to be in touch but England were rattled, under the cosh and fortunate to trail by only six points.

Meandering England possession after the break saw Paia’aua go close again, a rampant run thwarted only by a fine George Ford tackle, to prevent Samoa’s third try.

More Samoan pressure eventually showed on the scoreboard, Sopoaga slotting a penalty to edge them more than one score in front, England seriously needing to show their mettle if they were to avoid an unexpected defeat.

The response came, Borthwick switching Marcus Smith in, and Chessum going close to a brace for his effort to come up just shy of the try line.

Next, Marchant got through brilliantly as England built momentum, this one chalked off as Maro Itoje’s sublime pass to his winger was forward.

Farrell, though, eased heartrates with a penalty that took England back within striking range entering the final quarter in Lille.

Sloppiness then punished Farrell, the captain lining up a penalty straight in front of the sticks only to dally too long and run out of time on the shot clock, an easy three points gone begging for England, aptly epitomising a largely lacklustre performance across the board.

In a ridiculous two minutes, Manu then saw yellow as Samoa were pinned in, down to fourteen.

Setting up camp, a series of successive scrums finally bore fruit in the seventy-third minute, substitute Danny Care peeling off with a sniping sprint in under the sticks, England capitalising on the extra player advantage, Farrell’s easy conversion nosing them 18-17 back, in front.

A rip-roaring finale was seen out by a crucial, crunching Care tackle as England, just about, got over the line to go four wins from four. 

Samoa exit the tournament, disappointed with just one win from four in a group they would have had sights of progressing from.   But having bowed out in style, giving England their sternest examination, and almost earning a historic first win over them.

A fortuitous outcome tomorrow between Argentina and Japan could yet see them finish third and automatically qualify for the next, 2027, Rugby World Cup.

Already secured of a quarterfinal spot, England, needing drastic improvement, will likely face Fiji in the last eight next weekend, should the Fijians defeat Portugal tomorrow evening.