By WYNNE GRAY
England have an entourage which would not disgrace a Middle Eastern sheikh. Among that group of 19 are a chef, visual awareness coach and legal adviser, but last night they were assisted by an outsider.
The rainmaker came to town for England, a boon for a side we are
persistently told have not sold out to the fluffy modern frills in rugby.
This was weather more common to Sale in winter than Sydney in summer, trench warfare conditions which would light up the eyes of any decent forward pack.
It got so bad that referee Paddy O'Brien called for his long-sleeve jersey in the second half as the rain got heavier.
After the heatwave which engulfed Sydney for Saturday's opening semifinal, Telstra Stadium was hit by squally winds and driving rain last night.
England coach Clive Woodward had been so concerned about the effects of the heat he cancelled the team's final training.
However, there was no stopping England supporters who thronged to the stadium, their singing and support resembling the near-best Twickenham can offer.
Topping the turbulent atmosphere was the sledgehammer boot of first five-eighths Jonny Wilkinson.
Conditions were not as atrocious as the All Black test against England in Wellington mid-year, but they were awkward and slippery.
Same result. An England victory built on the foundation of the pack and the quality boots of Wilkinson. Left-foot penalty goals, dropped goals with either foot, Wilkinson was a class item after a couple of erratic matches against Samoa and Wales.
While the All Blacks stumbled on the big stage the night before, fellow favourites England stepped up, took control where they had to, and ground down the French side.
Team England, the multi-million-pound professional business which underpins the national rugby side, was in a no-nonsense mood. They won through their bloody-mindedness against Samoa and Wales, and continued that pattern last night.
The successes were Wilkinson, Matt Dawson, the return of blindside flanker Richard Hill, the quality of England's scrum and rolling maul, and a substitution appearance by prop Jason Leonard, which gave him a world- record 112th cap. England's victory will pit them against hosts Australia on Saturday in a repeat of the 1991 final, when the then-hosts were goaded about their style, tried to alter it for the final, and lost.
In that World Cup, England beat France in a bad-tempered quarter-final 19-10, while four years later France triumphed 19-9 in a playoff for third place.
England took the third World Cup meeting last night on an evil evening for rugby, in yet another match where they suffocated their opponents.
That left the two entertainers of the tournament, the All Blacks and France, to square off in Sydney on Thursday in a meaningless playoff ... Who cares, England coach Clive Woodward could say. He has been right so far on at least two counts in this World Cup.
His side was more concerned about results than style, and he said several times he thought the Wallabies would make the final.
Woodward may not be everyone's favourite and he is bound to spar this week with his regular jouster, Eddie Jones.
But six years into his lengthy coaching term, he has set his side for this World Cup.
His contract runs out after the Six Nations, but it is believed Woodward has agreed to another four-year term to take him through to the next cup.
By WYNNE GRAY
England have an entourage which would not disgrace a Middle Eastern sheikh. Among that group of 19 are a chef, visual awareness coach and legal adviser, but last night they were assisted by an outsider.
The rainmaker came to town for England, a boon for a side we are
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