Now call us no-hopers

The English pack were magnificent, their backs both sharp in attack and rock-solid in defence, and that man Jonny Wilkinson kicked the four penalties that eventually sent the reigning world champions into the semi-finals.

It was Wilkinson's drop-goal that put paid to Australia's dream of winning the World Cup four years ago in that tumultuous final in Sydney and the Wallabies had made it known that yesterday was their turn for revenge.

But a week in which too many of their countrymen — notably rugby chief executive John O'Neill, coach Alex Evans and winger Lote Tuqiri — had spoken of their opponents in less than flattering terms served only to give England even more motivation to prove all their critics wrong. Who are the no-hopers now, Australia?

Stirling Mortlock, the Australian captain, had a difficult chance to kick a winning penalty two minutes from time from halfway. But he shot narrowly wide and, for once, luck was with an England side who, unequivocally, deserve their place in next Saturday night's Paris showdown.

For Australia, it is going to be another four long years of hurt. They had arrived at the knockout stages after an easy ride, and maybe this played its part in the final score.

England, so disappointing against the United States and South Africa, have been playing knockout rugby ever since, and their must-win victories over Samoa and Tonga prepared them, mentally, for yesterday's test.

England promised they would take the game to Australia and that is exactly what they did for virtually the whole of the first half.

Playing their best rugby of the tournament by some distance they produced a heady cocktail of muscle up front, and attacking play from the backs as they never gave redhot favourites Australia time to settle.

Lewis Moody set out England's stall early on when,having led out the team to mark his 50th international cap, he made the game's first meaningful break.Against the run of play a fourthminute Mortlock penalty gave Australia the lead but, for the next 20 minutes it was all England.

It was as if the players had swapped shirts in the tunnel before emerging on to the sun-baked pitch. With six changes to the side who saw off Tonga eight days ago,England appeared fresh and invigorated as they produced quick ball and swift interchanges of play between forwards and backs.

In the eighth minute a Mike Catt chip nearly put Paul Sackey away in the corner.

Then Jason Robinson, miraculously fit again after straining his hamstring three weeks ago against South Africa, burst through with one of his trademark darts, only to be foiled by last man George Gregan.

His colleagues were unrecognisable from the sorry bunch who caved in to the Springboks. Suddenly they looked like defending the World Cup meant something to them.

Eventually the pressure told. Two Wilkinson penalties took him past Gavin Hastings' World Cup record tally and gave England a deserved lead as the front five began to exert themselves on their opposite numbers.

All the pregame pessimism in the English supporters' ranks that dominated the 60,000 crowd evaporated. Against all the odds they realised, as did the players, that this quarter-final could produce a turn up.

Then Australia did what all good sides do. They had spent less than five minutes inside the England 22 in the whole of the half, but when Berrick Barnes dummied to put Mortlock through a try looked certain.

The Wallaby captain was felled a metre from the line but Barnes was there to feed Tuqiri and, although Josh Lewsey halftackled the big Fijian, Tuqiri scrambled over.

He scored, of course, in the World Cup final, and this was a very good time to open, belatedly, his 2007 World Cup account.

Mortlock converted from the touchline and, with Wilkinson missing two further penalties, Australia went into half time believing the force was now with them.

England's body language, as they sprinted for the tunnel, suggested this was far from over. The next score would be vital.

It came to England, and again it followed concerted pressure close to the Australian line.

Not for the first time loose-head, and man-of-the-match, Andrew Sheridan was giving his opposite number, tight-head Guy Shepherdson, a torrid time in the scrum, and when an English ruck threatened to end with a score, Gregan was caught offside. Wilkinson popped over the penalty and England were just one point down.

On the hour they turned this into a two-point lead when Rocky Elsom was penalised for being caught offside and preventing Nick Easter from making a break at the base of the scrum a couple of meters from the Australian line.

The flanker was lucky not to be sent to the bin, but his team were punished by Wilkinson's fourth successful penalty of the afternoon.

Now Australia realised, with just a quarter of an hour remaining,that they were in trouble.Barely any of their outstanding backs, so effective in the pool stages, had been seen as England's grip tightened.

On came four players from their bench, while England responded by replacing an injured Moody with Joe Worsley, then Easter with Lawrence Dallaglio, to join George Chuter and Matt Stevens already on for Mark Regan and captain Phil Vickery.

As the seconds ticked away Australia grew increasingly desperate. Wilkinson had a penalty chance from the halfway line which would have settled it. Then came Mortlock's chance, after Worsley was penalised twice.

The stadium went quiet, the Australian captain struck it hard and true from the halfway line, and the ball sailed just a couple of feet past. The margin was tiny, but the impact massive. Somehow, amazingly, England had won.

ENGLAND: Robinson; Lewsey, Tait, Catt (Flood 64min), Sackey; Wilkinson, Gomarsall (Richards 22-29); Sheridan, Regan (Chuter, 52), Shaw, Kay, Corry, Moody (Worsley 66), Easter (Dallaglio 69).

AUSTRALIA: Latham; Ashley-Cooper (Mitchell 64), Mortlock, Giteau, Tuqiri; Barnes, Gregan; Dunning, Moore (Freier 73), Shepherdson (Baxter, 64), Sharpe, Vickerman (McMeniman, 28- 31), Elsom (McMeniman 64), Smith (Waugh 64), Palu (Hoiles 76).

Referee: A Rowlands (Ireland).