TWICKENHAM // It took only 12 years.
When Jonny Wilkinson nailed that famous drop goal in Sydney in 2003, he put England on a pedestal from which they came crashing down last night after a painful 33-13 loss to Australia.
A virtuoso performance from Wallaby fly-half Bernard Foley, who scored two tries and kicked 16 points overall, gave Australia a 17-3 lead at half time.
England wing Anthony Watson hit back in the second half, but Matt Giteau applied the gloss to the resounding win with a late converted try to bring the country with the most players and richest union to its knees.
Stuart Lancaster’s side became the first host nation to miss out on the knockout rounds since the World Cup began in 1987, and the highlight of their tournament will remain the bonus point win over Fiji 16 days ago.
The recriminations will begin immediately and the focus will fall on Lancaster, a fine man who stood by his principles to the detriment of the single aim of winning the World Cup.
Where Wallaby coach Michael Cheika changed the eligibility laws to field the strongest possible squad at the tournament, Lancaster steadfastly refused.
He did not resort to poaching flanker Steffon Armitage from Toulon and left out others such as Manu Tuilagi and Dylan Hartley due to disciplinary matters.
With David Pocock and Michael Hooper creating havoc at the breakdown last night, the England coach will have ample time over the next few months to reflect on his decisions, most likely without his job.
His side must now pick up the pieces in order to play a dead rubber in Manchester next Saturday against Uruguay, while Australia return here to take on Wales for the right to top Pool A.
Australia enjoyed a weight advantage up front and have improved markedly under the supervision of former Argentine international hooker Mario Ledesma, but England were the superior eight for much of the opening half.
Although the home side achieved parity in possession and territory, it was their unforced errors, both last night and against Wales eight days ago, that set them on to a course towards defeat.
After 15 minutes, England were level at 3-3 but just after Owen Farrell had pulled his side level, Mike Brown failed to field an awkward Adam Ashley-Cooper grubber in his 22. Although England disrupted the Wallaby scrum, the Rugby Championship winners kept the ball and probed England’s defensive line.
Foley momentarily saw daylight and prised the gap open with a sublime show and go to ghost through flailing tackles by Joe Launchbury and Brown to score his first World Cup try.
England continued to play in the right areas, but a lack of composure on the ball and failure to contain the Wallabies marauding back-row resulted in their attacks breaking down at key moments.
There was a battle royal in the scrums between props Sekope Kepu and Joe Marler, but the Waratahs tight-head got the upper hand and won a vital penalty late in the half.
Giteau secured a foothold in England’s half with the kick, and from a breakdown in midfield Will Genia found Foley travelling at speed with substitute Kurtley Beale alongside him. A simple interchange between the two took out Ben Youngs for Foley to score his fourth try in seven games.
England had never pulled back a deficit of more than 10 points and were staring down the barrel. At half time, Lancaster replaced Jonny May for George Ford in a hope to create more attacking positions and his passing game produced Watson’s try via the quick hands of Launchbury in the 56th minute.
Farrell then pulled England back to within a score, but was sent to the sin bin for the final ten minutes before Giteau applied the coup de grace.
Swing Low? England have never been lower.
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @NatSportUAE
