Wilkinson kicks England into final
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Wilkinson kicked all of England's points.
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SPECIAL REPORT
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| SCORERS |
9 mins: Wilkinson drop goal, England 3-0 France
10 mins: Betsen try, Michalak conversion, Eng 3-7 France
30 mins: Wilkinson penalty, England 6-7 France
38 mins: Wilkinson drop goal, England 9-7 France
40 mins: Wilkinson penalty, England 12-7 France
55 mins: Wilkinson penalty, England 15-7 France
58 mins: Wilkinson drop goal, England 18-7 France
64 mins: Wilkinson penalty, England 21-7 France
73 mins: Wilkinson penalty, England 24-7 France
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SYDNEY, Australia -- Jonny Wilkinson kicked a hat-trick of drop goals and five penalties to give England a 24-7 win over France in their World Cup semifinal on Sunday.
The European champions now face defending champions and hosts Australia in next Saturday's final in Sydney, a repeat of the 1991 title decider which Australia won 12-6.
French flanker Serge Betsen scored the only try of the match but his side paid heavily for their poor discipline.
The match deteriorated into a kicking war as heavy rain and wind made the conditions slippery, with Wilkinson out-classing opposite flyhalf Frederic Michalak.
While Wilkinson scored all 24 of England's points, Michalak missed all four of his penalty attempts and was off-target with his tactical kicking.
"It's about pressure," said England captain Martin Johnson, making his 17th consecutive appearance in World Cup matches -- a tournament record.
"Australia put New Zealand under pressure and we did the same today. We were lucky Michalak missed his kicks but that's part of the game. We didn't give away many penalties, it was a great display."
England coach Clive Woodward was pleased with his side's performance but said his players were focused on next weekend's final.
"It's a happy changing room but we came here to win, not to come second," said Woodward.
"It's been a good day, no more than that. We're really looking forward to this week and playing in the final next weekend."
Wilkinson, who missed his first penalty of the game, opened the scoring on nine minutes with a drop goal off his unfavored right foot.
But the French led for most of the half when blindside flanker Betsen darted through the England defense from a lineout to reach the line a minute later.
Pinpoint kicking
Wilkinson's pinpoint kicking gradually hauled England into the game, as he slotted over a penalty -- when French winer Christophe Dominici was sin-binned for tripping Jason Robinson -- and a second right-footed drop goal before landing a 42-meter penalty on halftime that sent his side into the break 12-7 ahead.
Wilkinson pushed the match beyond the French with two scores in quick succession midway through the second half.
On 55 minutes he kicked a 22-meter penalty after being on the receiving end of a late tackle that earned a yellow card for Betsen.
Three minutes later Wilkinson kicked his third drop goal of the game, this time back on his left foot. Two further penalties completed England's tally, with the French held scoreless in the second half.
"Today the best team won the match, we cannot deny it," said French captain Fabien Galthie. "The conditions were not good for us, England were better than us. It was very difficult to play with rain, we like to run with the ball."
French coach Bernard Laporte also conceded the conditions hadn't helped his side, but refused to use that as an excuse for his side's defeat.
"We are not going to hide behind the conditions," he said. "When you play rugby union you have to play under the sun and under the rain.
"They played their territorial game very well. Wilkinson had a superb game. He kept England going forward in our territory all the time."
Veteran England prop Jason Leonard made history when he ran on as a replacement for his 112th test cap, eclipsing French center Philippe Sella's previous record of 111 appearances.
