Hodgson missed the conversion - his first failure in six attempts - but an 11-point interval lead still looked a healthy one.
Henry Paul, who switched to full-back following injury to Justin Brooker, kicked his second conversion to give Bradford a deserved eight-point interval lead.
Scotland international Paterson kicked two further penalties to give his side a nine-point advantage at the interval.
Hodgson's conversion handed Sale their nine-point lead at the interval.
But Tangata Toa broke a tackle and ran in to touch down from 40 metres just before half-time to ensure the Crusaders had a four-point advantage at the interval.
After Nacewa missed the conversion, a Steyn penalty cut Leinster's lead to 12 points but a further Nacewa penalty left the Irish province with a 15-point cushion at the interval.
Cipriani was again off target with the conversion, but his penalty a minute before the break, and a missed attempt from Giteau, left England only a point adrift at the interval.
The Blue Bull added the extra two points and a Springbok counter-attack in the final seconds of the half forced Ma'a Nonu to handle the ball from an offside position, allowing Steyn to give South Africa a nine-point cushion at the interval.
Morne Steyn finally levelled the scores on 36 minutes following an England infringement at the ruck, but the fly-half spurned the opportunity to take a three-point lead at the interval when he uncharacteristically dragged a 25m drop-kick attempt wide of the posts.
But despite their dominance, the Ospreys failed to capitalise - Hook missed a 35th-minute penalty attempt, while Leicester just about cleared a Williams chip into the try area - and they had to make do with a slender one-point lead at the interval.
Soleil served Algerian food during the interval so no one missed the point.
And Barnsley - also playing under a new manager in Keith Hill - were good value for their point despite Forest's slight improvement after the interval.
Twelvetrees hit back immediately with his try, after Van Gisbergen missed a tackle, and Croft capped an imperious first-half performance with a try of his own moments before the interval to give the Tigers a bonus point.
An O'Gara penalty five minutes before the interval gave his side a slender one-point advantage at half-time.
Casillas was also in inspired form and made one breathtaking save just before the interval as he kept out Renato's point-blank effort from a Diego Perotti cross.
Flood added another simple penalty, but Quins then produced a 10-point scoring burst to give them a surprising 17-16 interval lead.
Kitson was sacrificed for defender Scott Minto after the interval as the Hammers went in search of a single point.
England rediscovered the faith that had deserted them during the half-time interval against Sweden - and a famous and wonderfully well-deserved victory was on the point of being won.
Despite the Carling Cup finalists finishing this lively battle at St Andrews just one point above the relegation zone, they showed great spirit in the second half after trailing 2-1 at the interval.
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