I suppose we all knew it, really. The impossible dream really was impossible and in the end quality and class triumphed. Or did it?

The fact is that Brian Ashton's England no-hopers matched the Springboks in every way in a nail-biting if not classic final - and it took a highly-controversial decision by the video referee to deprive them of what could have been a decisive try just after half-time.

They trailed 9-3 when centre Mathew Tait's superb break took him past three defenders and left-wing Mark Cueto plunged over on the touchline for what seemed a perfectly good try.

'Even the playbacks seemed to show Cueto's leg was in the air as he touched down, and not grounded over the touchline'


Even the playbacks seemed to show Cueto's leg was in the air as he touched down, and not grounded over the touchline. But after a seemingly endless wait, referee Alain Roland was advised to disallow the score - although they had the consolation of a penalty award for a previous offence, which Jonny Wilkinson duly converted.

On the night, England were anything but outclassed by a South African side that, man for man, were trumpeted better than they were (as if that wasn't evident from that 36-0 thrashing in the pool game).

Few could dispute that the Boks had been the best team in the tournament up to the final. And few could argue that they had the best squad of players.

Bryan Habana had been a revelation on the wing, equalling Jonah Lomu's best World Cup try tally ever. Fourie du Preez had been unarguably the best scrum-half and Schalk Burger and Juan Smith arguably the best loose forwards. Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha were indisputedly the top lineout pair. And that’s just a taster of the all-round quality in the team.

What inspired us all was the remarkable way Ashton’s ailing champions swung round their fortunes in the space of a couple of games – and half a dozen swings of Wilkinson’s lethal boot.

Sheer grit, doggedness and bloody-minded refusal to admit they were technically inferior saw them to the unlikeliest of victories over Australia and France in the quarter and semi-finals.

Last night they again came up against the best team in the tournament – and were certainly not found wanting. The Lionhearts roared again - and how.

If an entire nation ever willed one team on, it was England. We even heard choruses of ‘Swing Low Sweet Chariot’ ringing around Villa Park during Aston Villa's match against Manchester United earlier in the evening. Even if 90% of the crowd probably didn’t know the difference between a scrum and a lineout.

The writing seemed on the wall for England when they lost the first two lineouts on their own ball. And when the Boks went ahead through a simple seventh-minute Percy Montgomery penalty in one of their few early ventures into England territory, the old adage that you must turn territorial advantage into points was never better illustrated.

Wilkinson levelled it up at 3-3 with a superb touchline penalty of his own four minutes later, but when Lewis Moody stupidly tripped Butch James as the Springbok fly-half chased up his own kick, South Africa were back in front thanks to Monty’s second successful penalty.

Ninety seconds later, Wilkinson scooted a drop-goal attempt wide but although England had plenty of possession as the half progressed, they struggled to turn it into anything meaningful – i.e. points.

England’s defence was tested to the limit five minutes from half-time when Bok centre Francois Steyn jinked through on a break and the South Africans powered through in search of a try. A score looked certain as the ball was flung out towards Habana on the left wing, but some never-say-die defending forced a knock-on and  the move was blocked.

But it was only a temporary reprieve and as South Africa remained camped just yards from the line, desperate England conceded another penalty which Montgomery duly booted over to give the Boks a six-point half-time cushion.

After Cueto's disallowed try and Wilkinson's successful subsequent penalty, Martin Corry stupidly conceded a penalty for handling in a ruck and Montgomery potted his fourth successful kick to make it 12-6. But England were anything but beaten at this stage.

A mammoth penalty from half-way by Steyn took South Africa nine points clear - and now, with 18 minutes left, England needed at least two scores to win.

It was an unlikely scenario - even with the mighty experience of Lawrence Dallaglio plunged into the action. The most they could muster was a poor Wilkinson drop-goal effort and the Boks happily wound down the clock. And over the tournament as a whole, few could dispute their right to be crowned world champions.

But England's pride has been restored - and how - as they hand over the trophy with enormous honour. As one of their heroes, Martin Corry, said: ''To be so close and not do it is heartbreaking. The red rose and white shirt means everything to us.''

Perhaps the last word should go to Wilkinson, the man whose golden boot has done so much for England over the years. ''The South African  team deserved to win,'' he conceded. ''They have been fantastic all tournament.''

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