It left the Wallabies looking powerless as their concerned glances at each other grew more anxious with each misfiring set-piece. All the pre-match posturing about the improvements in their scrum proved as authentic as free passes across the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
"It was our worst performance of the tournament....our scrum got into strife and England controlled the breakdown," departing Wallaby coach John Connolly said.
Forwards coach Michael Foley had spent hours on the Wallaby scrum technique and there was general optimism it would hold up. It did for the first scrum and then evaporated as Sheridan, in particular, went on the rampage.
England were destroyed 36-0 by the Springboks in pool play but then fought back in several other physical yet unconvincing victories against Tonga and Samoa. It was an improvement but the Wallabies were still strong favourites to make the final four.
Instead they skulked off home wailing about their scrum failings and Wilkinson while England, almost in disbelief, boarded the train for Paris and the semifinal against France.
From the real possibility of a pool play exit they were within one victory of defending their World Cup title.
