IN THE END, perhaps the only way to rid the English rugby team of the arrogance and self-righteousness that has pervaded their squad since 2003 was with a stick of dynamite planted firmly in the centre of the Twickenham pitch.

France head coach Marc Lievremont revelled in his side's 19-12 Rugby World Cup quarter-final victory over England today and immediately began looking towards next week's last-four clash with Wales.

France 19 England 12

MARTIN JOHNSON believes any one of seven teams can win the Rugby World Cup — and he places England right at the heart of the pack.

Toby Flood will start at inside centre alongside fly-half Jonny Wilkinson in England’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final against France.

It is being reported that Jonny Wilkinson will start at number 10 for England's quarter-final with France on Saturday.

TOBY FLOOD has urged his England teammates to start taking responsibility for their actions off the field and pull together on it to strengthen their bid for World Cup glory.

Mark Cueto today launched a vehement defence of England’s off-field conduct and insisted there are no more skeletons in the closet.

Delon Armitage has been banned from England’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final against France.

Delon Armitage will start on the left wing for England in place of Mark Cueto in Saturday’s decisive Rugby World Cup Pool B showdown with Scotland.

England 67 Romania 3

HT England 34 Romania 3

MARTIN JOHNSON insists England’s preparations for tomorrow’s clash with Romania will not be thrown off course by the arrival in Dunedin of Zara Phillips.

Mike Tindall is poised to return to the England team for Saturday’s Rugby World Cup Pool B clash with Romania.

England have completed their final training run ahead of tomorrow’s opening Rugby World Cup showdown with Argentina.

Mark Cueto is a doubt for England’s opening Rugby World Cup match against Argentina in Dunedin on Saturday.

BY the time you read this I will have landed in Auckland after a stifling 36-hour trek with stopovers in London, Bangkok and Sydney.

Will Greenwood has backed England’s under-pressure centres to answer their critics at the Rugby World Cup.

Ireland 9 England 20

Ireland 9 England 13

ENGLAND manager Martin Johnson will take no risks with injury doubt Chris Ashton in today’s World Cup warm-up international against Wales.

ENGLAND manager Martin Johnson will take no risks with injury doubt Chris Ashton in today’s World Cup warm-up international against Wales.

Leicester centre Manu Tuilagi will make his England debut in Saturday’s Investec international against Wales at Twickenham.

Matt Stevens’ return from the ignominy of a drugs ban continued today when he was confirmed in England’s 45-man Rugby World Cup training squad.

NEWCASTLE have been handed a one-year ban from European competition, suspended for five years, and fined €25,000 after pleading guilty to a charge of misconduct at a European Rugby Cup disciplinary hearing in Dublin yesterday.

Northampton forward Christian Day claimed he was not “gouged” by England wing Mark Cueto in written statements to Rugby Football Union disciplinary chiefs, it has emerged.

Mark Cueto will be available for England’s Rugby World Cup campaign – and the summer warm-up internationals – after he received a nine-week ban for gouging.

England wing Mark Cueto has been banned by his club Sale Sharks for six weeks.

England winger Mark Cueto faces the prospect of a lengthy ban after he was today cited by the Rugby Football Union for “making contact with the eye or eye area” of Northampton’s Christian Day during Sale’s Aviva Premiership match on April 2.

Stand-in captain Nick Easter warned England will have to produce their best ever performance if they are to win the Grand Slam against Ireland tomorrow.

Mark Cueto will be proud to collect his 50th England cap at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday – but what he really wants is a Grand Slam winners’ medal.

JONNY WILKINSON andRonan O’Gara have a lot incommon, having been the mainstays of their respective national sides for the last decade before finding themselves under threat of being consigned to history by younger, more extrovert fly-halves.

IF ENGLAND wanted to dampen expectations that they will claim their first Grand Slam in eight years in Dublin next weekend then they did rather a good job of it at Twickenham yesterday.

Mark Cueto has warned Chris Ashton he must be prepared for life as a marked man - starting in England’s crunch showdown with RBS 6 Nations title rivals France.

Chris Ashton admitted he could not resist risking the wrath of coach Martin Johnson by celebrating two of his four tries with a swallow dive as England crushed Italy 59-13 at Twickenham.

England 59 Italy 13

Wales 19 England 26

Wales were today braced for a fresh injury blow ahead of their RBS 6 Nations opener against England in Cardiff.

Louis Deacon has been recalled to the England squad for the RBS 6 Nations as a replacement for banned Gloucester lock Dave Attwood.

LONDON IRISH boss Toby Booth struggled to mask his frustration after Bath’s late show at the Madejski Stadium consigned the Exiles to a ninth successive defeat.

England 35 Australia 18