The Kiwi Ferns will face archrivals Australia for the Rugby League World Cup crown, after dispatching England 20-6 in their semi-final at York.
After watching the Jillarros dispatch Papua New Guinea 82-0 in their final-four encounter, the NZ women booked their spot in the title match, overpowering the home team in the second half, as they took full advantage of their physicality.
New Zealand have contested all five previous women's World Cup finals, winning three, but losing the last two to their trans-Tasman adversaries.
"We've worked so hard for this moment and we've been confident in our camp all the way along," said coach Ricky Henry. "We didn't play our best footy tonight, but I'm so proud of them - we gutsed that one out."
The Kiwi Ferns were under pressure early, when fullback Apii Nicholls made a hash of a clearing kick from England five-eighth Georgia Roche, gifting the home side ideal position, which they turned into a try for fullback Francesca Goldthorp.
Centre Tara-Jane Stanley converted from near the sideline and the Kiwi Ferns had more defending to do, when rookie centre Mele Hufanga spilled the ball in a tackle 10 metres from her own goal-line.
They survived that test and were able to exert some heat of their own, when they charged down an English clearing kick. Rampaging second-rower Amber Hall proved a handful for smaller defenders and eventually provided an offload for Hufanga to score New Zealand's first try.
Katelyn Vaha'akolo went close to putting the Ferns ahead, when half Raecene McGregor kicked ahead, Hufanga gathered the bounce and put her winger away, only to be dragged down metres short.
McGregor eventually snatched the lead, after second-rower Roxy Murdoch-Masila battered the English defence down the left, then Hall switched the attack to the right, with the NRLW Player of the Year dummying and stretching to plant the ball on the tryline.
With goalkicking still an issue, New Zealand held an 8-6 advantage at halftime, still needing to score next to put some distance on their rivals.
They squandered a chance, when forward Mya Hill-Moana dropped the ball hot on attack, but Hufanga set up the next try, fending off defenders, before finding Nicholls on her shoulder. The fullback offloaded and prop Otesa Pule plunged over, with Nicholls' conversion finally providing some breathing space at 14-6.
Another powerful run down the right sideline from player-of-the-match Hufanga provided the impetus for prop Brianna Clark to score under the posts and suddenly the rout seemed on.
Captain Krystal Rota was held up over the tryline, but that was as close as they got to adding to their scoreline. England had chances in the dying moments, but by then, they were merely playing for consolation.
Australia barely headed New Zealand 10-8 in poolplay to book the easier passage to the final, but the Kiwi Ferns have not beaten their rivals since 2016.
"We've got to be better next week," said Henry. "We've got to be better with our errors and our completions, but we'll try and take it to them, and get really physical with them and see what happens from there."
NZ 20 (Hufanga, R McGregor, Pule & Clark tries; Nicholls 2 conversions) England 6 (Goldthorp try; Stanley conversion)
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