Catt and England are left purring after victory

Mike Catt is ready to extend his World Cup odyssey into another week with one final crack at the French - courtesy of an ''amazing'' performance by England's forwards.

The veteran World Cup winner, a survivor of England's semi-final victory over France in a soaking Sydney four years ago, can now delay his Test retirement.

The 36-year-old centre would have quit international rugby had England justified the bookmakers' lack of faith and bowed out against Australia.

But England sent the Wallabies packing for a third time in the last four World Cups, after record-breaker Jonny Wilkinson kicked them to victory.

While Wilkinson moved above Gavin Hastings as the World Cup's all-time top points scorer, so England gave themselves a fighting chance of achieving what appeared to be mission impossible just three weeks ago - retaining the Webb Ellis Trophy.

It is scarcely believable that a team smashed 36-0 by South Africa in their second pool game now stand just two wins away from making rugby history by securing a second successive world crown.

While Australia contemplate yet another horror show at the hands of England's rampant pack and pre-tournament favourites New Zealand to head home following the worst World Cup campaign in their history, Catt and company are purring.

He said: ''For me, it was going to be my last international if it didn't go right. Not now, though - if I am selected.

''You either stay in the competition or you go home - it is as simple as that. We always knew as a group of players we had a big one in us, and we can improve massively.

''We took the game to Australia, and I don't think they expected that. We seem to understand how we want to play now, and we've slowly progressed. We played very simple stuff - and we stopped them in defence.

''Everyone wrote us off, and there was abuse in the press again from certain Australian individuals - who it is good to send packing.''

The England pack crushed Australia into submission, with props Andrew Sheridan and Phil Vickery destroying their scrum and building a platform for Wilkinson to strike.

England trailed 10-6 at half-time - Wallabies wing Lote Tuqiri scored the game's solitary try - yet they dug deep into remarkable reserves of courage and stamina to prevail.

Catt added: ''Our scrummage was just amazing, just incredible.

''At international level, it is not very often you see dominance like that. At the breakdown area as well, we really hassled them and they just didn't get going.

''I was a bit surprised with the way Australia played, but who cares? We were given only a 5-1 chance of winning - and now we are in the semi-finals of the World Cup.

''If you get a platform and get good ball from it, you can do things how you want to. We were just a little bit more hungry than them on the day.

''When you went into a ruck you didn't feel like you were being pushed off the ball at all, whereas from our side we just absolutely blitzed them.''

England lock Ben Kay, who helped ensure his team won all 11 line-outs on their own throw, revealed the Red Rose underdogs were determined to produce a display they would not regret.

Kay said: ''We love to play against Australia. It is a huge sporting rivalry, and this is just a great feeling.

''In the changing room before the game we said to each other 'let's have no regrets and let's remember this game for the rest of our lives' - and I am sure we will do.

''Tournaments like this are all about momentum, and we've got some momentum now. It is easier to play rugby when you are winning.''

England had heroes everywhere they looked, and their army of supporters lapped it up in the Stade Velodrome sunshine.

The only criticism on a day when England finally clicked was their failure to convert overwhelming forward dominance into a far healthier advantage on the scoreboard.

Wilkinson missed three penalties, and obvious scoring opportunities were not finished off, whereas Australia struck through Tuqiri's try from their one clear-cut chance.

Had Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock not missed a late long-range penalty chance by inches, England would undoubtedly have made their exit.

England's failure to put the game out of sight will not be missed by France coach Bernard Laporte as he plots their downfall this week.

But England are now through to the tournament's penultimate knockout round, a fact few people would have thought possible given their blundering start against America and then total meltdown against South Africa.