WHAT an incredible performance by Brian Ashton's men - that is one of the gutsiest displays I have seen from an England side.

They did not necessarily beat Australia because they are a better team, but because they had the bigger hearts.

The passion and desire shown by every single player wearing the red rose was simply incredible.

I did not expect anything like that before the match. I thought if the boys play their best game and Australia have an off day then we might have a chance.

In all honesty, I believed England would get beaten nine times out of ten. Australia have an incredible backline and their pack had improved enormously.

Although Andrew Sheridan dominated the scrum, I thought the key area was at the breakdown.

They turned over Australia time and time again but the other important factor was that George Gregan was never able to get quick ball.

I can only really remember Australia's backs getting their hands on the ball once or twice in the whole game.

When England were beating them at the breakdown and in the scrum, you could see the Australians panicking and our confidence grew from that.

Lewis Moody really set the benchmark for speed at the breakdown against Tonga and everyone rose to that example.

In previous games there have been stand out performers - Olly Barkley against USA, Jason Robinson against South Africa - but not on Saturday.

That's because all 15, and the guys who came off the bench, were magnificent. Every single one of them stood up and were counted.

They have shown their true ability and just why they are World Champions.

The backline still need to create a bit more. England had a lot of pressure on the Australian try line and they will be disappointed not to have scored a try.

Australia did not deserve to lose by two points and if Stirling Mortlock's kick had gone over at the end, England would only have themselves to blame for not making the most of their dominance.

In games as tight as this you have to get something out of your good spells.

The key moment for me was Paul Sackey's tackle on Mortlock when he had a three-man overlap.

It was an instinctive decision and playing at Wasps where they use the blitz defence would have helped.

If he had been half a second later then Australia would have had a clear run on the tryline and it may have been a very different game.

And what a great weekend for northern hemisphere rugby.

Both France and England knew they had to raise their game. They know they had to improve massively or they would have been blown away.

New Zealand and Australia played very well in their groups but they were never really tested.

England and France went into games knowing if they lost they were out.

Although I am sure neither Bernard Laporte nor Brian Ashton wanted their teams to lose group games to Argentina and South Africa, they served as a massive kick up the backside.

They were wake up calls but they came at the right time - before the knockout stages.

Saturday was a massive game and they will be physically and mentally drained from it.

They gave every last drop of energy and this is where the fitness coaches will earn their keep because they have only a week before the semi-final.

The good thing is that France also gave it everything against New Zealand.

Both sides went hell for leather and they know they have to do it all over again next Saturday.