Australia ran in a dramatic late try through Cameron Smith to deny New Zealand victory in a gripping Gillette Four Nations clash at Twickenham Stoop.

Smith struck with just over a minute left to go with Johnathan Thurston adding the conversion to secure a face-saving draw for the tournament favourites.

New Zealand looked destined to repeat last year's seismic World Cup final upset when Lance Hohaia and Frank Pritchard crossed to establish a 20-14 lead with six minutes to go.

The Kiwis, missing seven top players through injury, were courageous in defence all night but cracked in the dying moments of a brutal and thrilling Test.

Brett Morris and Thurston also crossed for Australia while tries from Frank-Paul Nuuausala and Junior Sa'u helped put New Zealand on the brink of a famous win.

The Kiwis' all-action display showed England the Kangaroos are far from invulnerable ahead of their showdown in Wigan next Saturday.

Darren Lockyer led out Australia for a record 47th appearance, eclipsing the mark set by Kangaroos legend Mal Meninga from 1982 to 1994.

But the 32-year-old stand-off was subjected to a torrid opening to his landmark match as the Kiwis surged ahead just seven minutes in, a muscular run from prop Fuifui Moimoi doing the initial damage.

Adam Blair spotted Nuuausala running at full tilt on his shoulder and fed the Roosters prop who barged his way over from 15 yards out. Bryson Goodwin converted.

Only some thunderous defence from New Zealand was keeping Australia at bay, but they kept shooting themselves in the foot by conceding three penalties close to their line.

When they were pinged a fourth time after Lance Hohaia sent Billy Slater sprawling, referee Steve Ganson had seen enough and warned skipper Benji Marshall about his side's over-zealous defending.

The frantic tempo continued as winger Morris slipped with the line at his mercy five yards out after Australia had expertly worked an overlap on the left.

New Zealand's defence was brutal at times, but the Kangaroos looked slicker on the ball and it was a sublime offload by Smith that helped them draw level.

At the last possible moment, Smith slipped the ball out of the tackle to Greg Inglis who dashed 40 yards before supplying Morris the scoring pass with Thurston improving the try.

A flashpoint between Paul Gallen on Isaac Luke sparked a huge brawl involving virtually every player, with Kiwi loose forward Blair sprinting 20 yards before torpedoing himself into a group of Kangaroos.

Ganson decided against any sin-binnings but the feisty edge to the game continued in the tackle.

The second half was just three minutes old when disaster struck for New Zealand, Hohaia finding himself stripped of the ball by Thurston 10 yards out and the Cowboys scrum-half dived over.

Thurston converted his own try before adding a penalty but the Kiwis struck back in the 56th minute when Sa'u powered over the whitewash.

New Zealand attacked the line at pace and reaped the reward as Australia's scrambling defence cracked, enabling Sa'u to reduce the deficit to 14-10.

The Kangaroos were struggling and when they knocked on 10 metres out in the 69th minute, the Kiwis ran in their third try with Hohaia sprinting over the line.

Goodman converted to set up the grandstand finish, Pritchard and Smith exchanging tries in a frantic finale.