Michael Cheika is just 80 minutes away from completing the coaching miracle of the professional era after guiding Australia to the World Cup final last night.

England 13 Australia 33: Having been in the World Cup for just 15 days, England are now set to enter a month-long period of reviews, damning indictments and calls for heads to roll.

Good morning. Here’s everything you need to know before you start your day.

Australia have won the Rugby Championship and ended a long barren run against New Zealand, firing a World Cup warning shot to England and Wales in the process.

Before looking forward to the inaugural Champions Cup final at Twickenham on Saturday, I feel compelled to examine the implications of an announcement last week that attracted minimal attention on this side of the world.

England held their nerve in the face of a second-half fightback by Australia to end a frustrating autumn with a vital 26-17 victory at Twickenham.

A call from Examiner Towers on Tuesday. What are you rabbiting on about this week? Presume you’re looking back at Saturday?

The Scots went to some trouble to make Richie McCaw feel at home at Murrayfield, unearthing evidence placing his ancestors from the same county as Robbie Burns, Bill Shankly and Robert the Bruce.

AUTUMN INTERNATIONAL:

Australia 28 New Zealand 29

Australia 32 Argentina 25

Coach Ewen McKenzie knows Australia must take risks if they are to end New Zealand’s 17-game winning streak on Saturday, and hopes the surprise selection of Kurtley Beale at fly-half will provide the spark in their Rugby Championship clash in Sydney.

Australia 6 France 0

Eoin Reddan must produce a performance worthy of scrum-half rival Conor Murray’s expectations against Australia, believes Ireland boss Joe Schmidt.

Australia bounced back from their England defeat to record a 50-20 victory over Italy in their second autumn international at the Stadio Olimpico.

Scrum-half Will Genia will return to the starting line-up for Australia’s final Rugby Championship fixture against Argentina in Rosario tomorrow.

New Australia coach Ewen McKenzie has no concerns over playmaker Quade Cooper’s ability to perform under pressure ahead of his likely Test return against the All Blacks next month.

Simon Lewis says Yes

Wallabies match-winner Adam Ashley-Cooper is bracing himself for a big-time return of midfield rival Jamie Roberts when Australia face the British & Irish Lions in Saturday’s series decider in Sydney.

The saying goes that a sporting injury is one man’s misfortune but another’s opportunity and the situation in which Brian O’Driscoll now finds himself offers several as he prepares for his final Test as a British & Irish Lion.

Crocked British & Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton has backed his players to rise to the challenge of overcoming Australia this weekend and claim a first series victory for the tourists in 16 years.

Australia 16 British & Irish Lions 15

Momentum is built on moments, and perhaps the telling one in Australia’s victory in Melbourne came early in the second half when Brian O’Driscoll managed to achieve what the Wallabies had largely failed to do.

The haunted look on Brian O’Driscoll’s face at the final whistle said it all.

Jonathan Sexton pulled no punches yesterday after the British and Irish Lions were agonisingly denied Test series glory against Australia.

Australia 16 British & Irish Lions 15

Australia 16 British and Irish Lions 15

Howley warns players against thinking about anything other than their jobs today

Australia coach Robbie Deans was disappointed by the presence of Kurtley Beale and James O'Connor in a fast-food restaurant in the early hours of the morning, but did not consider dropping them.

An eventful few hours in the Australia camp began with wing Digby Ioane being issued with an arrest warrant and ended with his injury-enforced withdrawal from the remainder of the Test series against the British and Irish Lions.

An eventful few hours in the Australia camp began with wing Digby Ioane being issued with an arrest warrant.

An arm injury sustained in the first-Test victory over Australia has placed Paul O’Connell’s Lions tour in jeopardy.

Paul O’Connell was undoubtedly a significant contributor to the Lions victory in the first Test in Brisbane, but perhaps the more crucial factor was the Munster-like weather that afflicted the so-called Sunshine State the day before the match.

Australia 21 Lions 23

Australia have picked James O'Connor at fly-half for Saturday's opening Test against the British and Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium with Kurtley Beale included on the bench.

The importance of George North to Warren Gatland’s plan for the British & Irish Lions to beat Australia in Saturday’s first Test was underlined by the relief that greeted his clearance to play in Suncorp Stadium.

He’s been Australia’s “Mr Fix It” for many seasons, but now Wallabies back Adam Ashley-Cooper is ready to face the might of the Lions from his preferred position.

Adam Ashley-Cooper insists Brian O’Driscoll remains as dangerous as ever as the rivals prepare to meet for the first time in Saturday’s opening Test between Australia and the British and Irish Lions.

Australia have named Tri-Nations winning captain James Horwill as their skipper for the British and Irish Lions Tour.

Australia flanker David Pocock will miss the upcoming Test series against the British and Irish Lions after rupturing an anterior cruciate ligament while playing for the Brumbies yesterday.

France 33 Australia 6