Wilko kicks England past Wallabies

Updated 23.04 Sat Oct 06 2007

Keywords: Jonny Wilkinson, Australia, England, World Cup, rugby, sport

Jonny Wilkinson landed four penalties to kick England into the World Cup semi-finals with a famous 12-10 victory over Australia in Marseille.

The last-gasp drop-goal hero of England's triumph over the Wallabies in the 2003 final in Sydney once again proved the difference in a tightly-fought quarter-final at the Stade Velodrome.

"It was probably not the purest game of rugby but it was fantastic to be part of. I don't know (how we did it), a bit of belief, just doggedness and determination" - Phil Vickery

After Australia captain Stirling Mortlock had fired the pre-match favourites into the lead with an early penalty, two kicks from Wilkinson in three minutes put the world champions 6-3 in front and saw the Newcastle Falcons star overtake Scotland's Gavin Hastings' World Cup mark of 227 points.

But the Wallabies gradually made their pressure tell and were rewarded through Lote Tuqiri's 36th-minute try which was converted by Mortlock.

However, England, trailing 10-6 at half-time, never gave up and Wilkinson added two penalties in the second half to ensure Brian Ashton's men complete one of the greatest sporting transformations ever.

Meanwhile, France narrowly managed to beat hot favourites New Zealand at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

The match was tightly-fought, with France also only securing victory by a margin of two points, winning 20-18.