Dallaglio hails England team-mates

Lawrence Dallaglio hailed his World Cup-winning England team-mates and praised them for doing their talking on the pitch.

England were hammered in the Australian press for their approach to the game but proved more than a match for the Wallabies in the final as a tense match ended 20-17 and was eventually settled by a Jonny Wilkinson drop goal with 20 seconds of extra-time remaining.

Dallaglio told ITV1: “This is fantastic. We had to work very hard, we turned the ball over too much but we hung on in there, hung on in there and got our just desserts.

“I’m sure everyone back home is going absolutely berserk, we deserved this World Cup.

“We’ve taken a lot of crap but we have taken the moral high ground and done our talking on the pitch. To take the trophy away from the southern hemisphere is a very special feeling.

“It was a massive effort from everyone and I think England have got a team to be proud of.”

Australia went ahead when a Stephen Larkham up-and-under was well taken by Lote Tuqiri to touch down but two penalties from Wilkinson and a Jason Robinson try put England 14-5 ahead at the break.

Two penalties from Elton Flatley – the second in the 80th minute – took the match into extra-time.

Wilkinson and Flatley exchanged penalties before the Newcastle Falcons star became the hero with a right-footed kick out of hand.