Shockwaves felt around the rugby world

The much feted All Blacks are long gone from the competition and the Kiwis' Independent newspaper said: "New Zealand's worst fears have come true.

"England, insufferable England, the team Kiwis love to hate, booted France out of the World Cup 14-9 in Paris and they will now defend their title in a week's time with Jonny Wilkinson again being hailed a hero."

In South Africa, the forthright Sunday Times said: "England, the same pitiful England that South Africa brushed aside with disdain in the group stages, are in the rugby World Cup Final.

"And all it took was a bunch of knockout stage-hardened bastards, a decent pack, a certain unassuming fly half with a penchant for popping over important drop goals, and a good old fashioned refusal to lose to do it."

In France, Le Journal du Dimanche bemoaned the tactical disaster which engulfed coach Bernard Laporte and his team.

"The great journey, with a preparation unequalled in the history of French sport, is a patent failure of which the analysis should spare no one," it spat.

"The story ends as it began, with the stadium reverberating in the language of our opponents.

"France came up against the world champions like a bull wearing blinkers, running into a solid white wall."

L'Equipe tipped its hat to the defending champions.

"England waited for their time," it wrote. "The white defence held off all the untidy assaults of the French. It was as if they knew their moment would come."

Le Parisien said it more simply still: "The English have broken the dream of a nation."