England reach World Cup Final

France 7 England 24

Jonny Wilkinson kicked England into the World Cup Final with a brilliant display - scoring all England's points - against France at the Telstra Stadium in France today.

Wilkinson scored three drop goals and five penalties in a display which could not have been more different to his opposite number Frederic Michalek.

With a slippery ball, handling was tricky for both sides and after Frederic Michalak had sliced an early kick, England piled on the early pressure.

Eight minutes in, Jonny Wilkinson turned the possession into points with a right-footed drop goal to open the scoring.

But France hit back immediately after bursting through the England defence, Betsen held off the attentions of both Hill and Jason Robinson to touch down - though it was only confirmed after a detailed look by television official Andrew Cole.

Michalak landed the conversion from wide left but as the rain swept in again he missed two simple penalties from in front of the posts.

France were reduced to 14-men for 10 minutes when Christophe Dominici clumsily tackled Jason Robinson.

On 24 minutes Jonny Wilkinson brought England within a point with a penalty goal to make it 7-6.

Wilkinson's drop goal with his right foot after some good England pressure gave England a 9-7 lead late in the first half.

With the last kick of the first half, Wilkinson added to England's lead with another penalty to give them a 12-7 lead.

Wilkinson's dead eye was out when he missed a penalty on 50 minutes, but England stretched their lead to eight points thanks once again to Jonny Wilkinson.

He was given the opportunity 12 minutes into the second half as Betson received a yellow card. Ref Paddy O'Brien adjudged his tackle on Wilkinson to be late, and Wilkinson was left with the simplest of kicks.

It didn't get any better for France.

Wilkinson's third drop goal pushed them 18-7 ahead. This time he sidestepped a challenge before scoring his third drop goal of the game, this time with his left foot.

Unlike Wilkinson, whose accuracy rarely wavered, Frederic Michalek - whose form was so good against Ireland - failed to score from several penalty attempts.

Another Jonny Wilkinson penalty, after 63 minutes, put England further ahead, and his 73rd minute penalty secured England victory.

Australia now await England and Jonny Wilkinson in the final.

Afterwards England captain Martin Johnson hailed Jonny Wilkinson as the ‘best in the world’.

“Jonny is the best fly-half in the world – every team want to have him,” declared Johnson. “I am glad he is on our team.

“We kicked the ball more today than we probably have in the whole tournament - but you have got to do it.

“We forced them into mistakes, and kicked our goals. We would have liked to have scored a try, we did not do it but we are in the final.”

Johnson felt England showed great courage to raise their game in the slippery conditions.

He added: “Both teams tried to play. It was all about pressure. You saw that yesterday with Australia against New Zealand and it was the same today.

“It was a great display. We needed passion. The forwards had questioned ourselves before the game and we came through.”