Australia 10 England 12

FOUR years ago it was one drop goal which broke Australian hearts and last night England golden boy Jonny Wilkinson booted four penalty goals to send the Wallabies packing from the World Cup.

While Wallabies winger Lote Tuqiri, who broke his try-scoring drought in the first half, registered the only five-pointer of the first quarter-final, the defending champions punished Australia for an error-riddled game.

And the truth is, England deserved the win and ticket to next week's semi-final in Paris.

Before a near-capacity 59,102 crowd at Stade Velodrome, the Wallabies walked off after half-time 10-6 up.

However, Australia soon found England breathing down their backs again with the score at 10-9 when Wilkinson, who had kicked two from four penalties in the first half, booted his third goal in the 50th minute.

And then it came - England's turn to take the lead in the 59th minute. Again, it was courtesy of a Wilkinson penalty kick, the crucial three-pointer coming after the Wallabies' scrum was penalised five metres out from their line.

England were 12-10 up and the Wallabies were wobbling.

In the 63rd minute Australia, needing impetus, began using their bench and started making sporadic insurgencies into England's half. But every time they did, errors cruelled their chances as they rushed their plays. The Wallabies were still in the game in the 75th minute when Wilkinson's next penalty kick - from 50m out and awarded against Gregan for hands in the ruck - failed.

The Wallabies even had a chance to take back the lead and win the game when Mortlock attempted a kick 48m out and 5m in. However, he missed and some poor decisions in the final few minutes meant Australia will be now flying home.

Mortlock opened the scoring with a penalty goal in the fourth minute.

But after 21 minutes, Wilkinson levelled the score at 3-3 with his first penalty goal.

As expected, the forwards battle was tough: and the first, long-awaited engagement between the two packs really set the tone.

It ended in Australian No.3 Guy Shepherdson and English No.1 Andrew Sheridan entertaining with a scuffle, and some push and shove between Wallabies No.1 Matt Dunning and English No.6 Martin Corry.

The Wallabies were under constant pressure from the determined English, who were camped in Australia's half throwing everything at them. They hit the Wallabies with a barrage of midfield busts that tested the Australian defence.

The Wallabies' cause wasn't helped by some poor ball-handling that resulted in England winning turnover ball on several occasions.

Discipline appeared to be getting the better of the Wallabies and Wilkinson was handed another crack at goal before the 30-minute mark when second-rower Dan Vickerman was pinged for his role in a scuffle with English reserve halfback Peter Richards about 38m out. Fortunately for Australia. Wilkinson's attempt into the wind missed.

Australia needed composure, and as the half-time mark neared, it thankfully came when they found themselves in English territory.

With the wind behind them, the Wallabies forced the English line, in a surge that was typically inspired by a midfield beak from Mortlock, and England found themselves pressure for a change.

And the breakthrough points for Australia finally came when No.10 Berrick Barnes passed to winger Tuqiri off the breakdown.

Tuqiri, seeing the try line five metres before him, came to ground in the tackle but his momentum gave him the scrambling momentum to get over and score his long-awaited first try of this World Cup.

Mortlock converted to put Australia back in front 10-6 - a lead that was still far from comfortable.