Jonny Wilkinson has called for ''an enormously committed'' England display in tomorrow night's World Cup eliminator against Tonga.

England will arrive at Parc des Princes, knowing their miserable reign as world champions would reach a shambolic conclusion if Tonga topple them.

England have lost 25 Test matches since Martin Johnson held aloft the Webb Ellis Trophy in Sydney almost four years ago.

A 26th defeat from 44 games would officially make them the worst reigning world champions in rugby union history, given that every previous title holder at least made the quarter-finals.

The last-eight prize for England is an appointment with Australia in Marseille on Saturday week.

Tonga though, having pushed Pool A winners South Africa to the limit five days ago, are confident they will head south while England fly home.

Wilkinson said: ''We've already seen huge performances from the likes of Tonga, who showed against South Africa you have to go out there with everything.

''You can't hold anything back against these guys.

''Tonga are a hugely organised side, as well as having that fantastic flair and physical ability that makes them dangerous and threatening. There is a fantastic balance.''

Wilkinson, who will become the highest scorer in World Cup history by overtaking Gavin Hastings if he amasses 22 points or more tomorrow, has first-hand experience of Tongan brilliance.

Tonga centre Epi Taione now plies his trade with the Sanyo Wild Knights, but was once a team-mate of Wilkinson's at Newcastle.

He added: ''Some of the best teams have an ability to intimidate the opposition with their physicality and their intensity.

''There are guys who can run strong and knock you over, at the same time as being able to step and run around you.

''That is the envy I have of these guys - the ability they have to physically take the ball forward at the same time as having that agility.

''Epi is a classic example. It was a joy to have him in the team at Newcastle.

''You just knew there was someone there, whether there was 79 minutes gone on the clock or not, who you always thought the next time he got the ball he was going to do something incredible with it.

''As a number ten decision-maker it gives you what I would call an 'easy out'.

"When you've got a situation where you have been forced into a corner, what decision do I make?

''There are lots of defenders in front of me, there is not much time, there are lots of defenders behind and there is not much space to kick - give it to Epi, that will do!''

England went a small distance towards eroding memories of their record World Cup defeat against South Africa by posting a Wilkinson-inspired victory over Samoa in Nantes last weekend.

But the third quarter of that game exposed England's vulnerability under pressure as Samoa, 17 points adrift just before half-time, fought back to 26-22 before Wilkinson and company finished with a scoring flourish.

Such profligacy could cost England dear against Tonga, whose set-piece game is significantly stronger than their Polynesian partners.

Wilkinson said: ''We had to do a lot of thinking on the move in that game.

"There are 101 different things that happen in a game. You can't control everything, but what you can control is your performance, the decisions you make on the field.

''When you are standing there waiting for the anthems, you are thinking about the first two or three minutes of the game, what's the first play and where do the team need to go early on?

''On the day, you deal with what happens.

''We know Tonga have a huge amount of physicality, and we've got to step up and bring our own physicality.