England beware bomber Barnes

While there is an understandable confidence about Saturday's showdown within the Australian camp, which no amount of their platitudes about the "major threat" posed by the old enemy can conceal, it is the tale of two No10s which offers them cause for concern.

In the white corner, England will boast the experienced, ruthless bogeyman who drop kicked them into a pit of national despair four years ago while in the green-and-gold, the Aussies have to count on Berrick Barnes, a willowy kid who offered only open-mouthed amazement that he was in their World Cup squad at all.

The Wallabies already know what they'll find with the born-again Wilkinson - solidity, laser kicking and the merciless punishment of any indiscipline. Matt Giteau's analysis that "he provides a lot for the team, not only his kicking and general play, but just him being there in the team" was a remarkable tribute, offering a feel for just how psychologically crucial Wilkinson's presence is in sowing doubts in Aussie minds.

Yet if they have a rather bigger question over whether the 21-year-old Barnes is up to handling the pressure in the Stade Velodrome in only his fourth Test outing, the Wallabies are doing a good job in deflecting it. Because ever since Stephen Larkham's injury had them asking how to replace their brilliant conductor, the Queenslander has been demonstrating exactly how. It's why Barnes is now known to his team-mates as "The Answer".

When Wales immediately asked the questions in a red-hot Millennium Stadium, Barnes's answer was one massive clearance to touch, a lovely dummy to set up a try for Matt Giteau and a nerveless drop goal. Even Gareth Thomas's disgraceful late hit failed to ruffle him as he put Australia in command within 20 minutes.

His team-mates were taken aback by Barnes's remarkable assuredness. "Yeah, a surprise," admitted Giteau. "What was good was he didn't have too long to think about it; all he had to do was play his natural game and he gained so much confidence from it. Now I think Berrick's got everyone's confidence too, 100 per cent."

While Barnes is not a goalkicking flyhalf, nor is his tactical kicking yet in the same league as Wilkinson's, his drop goal prowess allied to his running and slick playmaking from hand make him a highly effective supplier for Giteau and Stirling Mortlock, the pairing fancied to win any midfield battle hands down.

England have to hope the enormity of what he's achieving suddenly dawns on Barnes, who was still a schoolboy when he watched on his gran's TV as Wilkinson kicked that drop goal in Sydney four years ago.

He talks of Wilkinson with just a hint of star-struck admiration, even musing that they might just be a bit similar. "He's a serious sort of character and he keeps a lot of stuff in and I'm similar," reckoned Barnes. He wasn't as intense as Jonny, he felt - but then who could be? - but when it came to workaholic practice, he noted that, just like Wilko, he had a kickabout on Christmas Day.

"The hardest thing is getting Berrick to stop," noted full-back Chris Latham of the constant kicking practice which has helped turn someone who struggled for Queensland Reds in a disappointing Super 14 season into the most sparkling discovery of this World Cup.

Barnes's ability is unquestioned but, as he himself acknowledges, the key for him on Saturday is to be mentally attuned to the task. He will look at his counterpart in white, at the man all Aussies once saw as the perfect 10, and see someone who'll "get his head on and get it right".

Yet in Barnes, Australia suspect they might just have found the ideal "Answer".