Oita (Japan) (AFP)

England, huge in defense and very realistic in attack, ended up disgusting Australia (40-16) after a superb battle on Saturday in Oita to join the first semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup .

. All Blacks in sight?

The English will face on Saturday, October 26 in Yokohama the winner of the second quarterfinal of the day between New Zealand and Ireland. If the logic is respected, a tasty final before the hour is looming between the All Blacks, double world champions, and their most ambitious outsiders.

For coach Eddie Jones has been calling for four years: the Australian has prepared the XV of the Rose to win in Japan, a country he has also advanced after leading Australia in the final of the 2003 World Cup against. .. England.

Jones did not give a gift to his own country, nor to his ex-teammate and friend Michael Cheika, the Wallabies coach, whose elimination from the quarters confirms the decline, perceptible for four years. Australia, finalist of the 2015 edition, will have sold its skin dearly before cracking at the beginning of the second period.

The flanker David Pocock (31 years old, 83 caps), great craftsman of the beautiful course of 2015, leaves the international scene without having managed to raise the trophy Webb-Ellis. The last Australian triumph - 1999 - begins to date ...

. Word to the defense

Captain Michael Hooper's team, however, seemed to stand up to the British favorite: it started better each period, including the first, and was very disciplined all the time (only 1 penalty conceded in the first period, 5 in total against 8 for the English). But he lacked (among others) an opener capable of making the difference: Christian Lealiifano did not know how to weigh in the game and was replaced in the 53rd minute by Matt Toomua.

Unlike Owen Farrell, who sealed the English success by a magnificent pass to the line, on the verge of interception, for the pillar Kyle Sinckler (46th). The English opener was also imperial (20 points to 8/8), unlike the group match against Argentina where he had flinched.

The English got the upper hand thanks to their monstrous defense: 8 players, more than half of the team, finish the match between 13 and 20 veneers! And if it is necessary to retain a "symbolic gesture" of this match, it is enough to stop at the 60th minute when the English pillar Sinckler came to tear off the ball from the hands of Isi Naisarani after a long Australian possession.

. Realism lesson

Better back in the game, winners of the duels on impact and advancing after contact, the Australians were poorly rewarded (3-0) after 12 minutes.

The English were quick to react, exploiting every opportunity to score two tries in three minutes by Jonny May (18th, 21st); the first on a perfectly played shift; the second after an interception of Henry Slade extended to the foot for his winger.

The English took control of the match to never let go, even if the Australians caught on, returning even to a point (17-16) with the test of Marika Koroibete (43). The winger concluded a superb pass Reece Hodge solitary ride followed by a shed inside the young prodigy Jordan Petaia.

But Farrell killed all hope by throwing Sinckler in the best possible interval (24-16), and the Australians then made mistakes. The addition was increased: 30 points (66th), then 40 after the interception of Anthony Watson culminating in a fourth English test (76th). The English are ready, the others can tremble.

The Australians, finalists in 2015, leave the World Cup on a rout that will leave traces.

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