Coffs Harbour, Nov 18: With five days to go before the Rugby World Cup final, Australia and England prepare themselves for the big showdown.
Discipline will be the key to winning the World Cup when defending Champions Australia take on England in the final, Wallabies coach Eddie Jones said on Monday (November 17). Jones said he was impressed with England's ability to ruthlessly put away an error-prone French side who struggled to cope with heavy rain and slippery conditions in the second semi-final in Sydney on Sunday (November 16). "You've just got to look at the stats for world rugby over the last four years, I think they've (England) lost five games in the last four years," Jones told reporters at the Wallabies' training camp in semi-tropical Coffs Harbour, north of Sydney. "They've been the number one ranked side for the last four years and they put France away pretty easily." England's discipline in difficult conditions allowed them to build their win around flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson, who claimed all of the Six Nations champions' points with five penalties and three drop goals in their 24-7 victory over France.


"They played the conditions superbly, got field position and with Wilkinson kicking goals and field goals, they played a very smart and pretty influential brand of rugby," Jones said.


He said Wilkinson's effectiveness with the boot meant that Australia could not afford to repeat France's many mistakes and give away penalties from anywhere in their half of the field.


"Discipline is going to be a big factor," he said. "You can't afford to give a penalty 55 metres away from your goal line because Wilkinson's capable of drilling them. It's going to be an important part for both sides."


Australia became the first side through to the final when they upset favourites New Zealand 22-10 in the first semi-final on Saturday (November 15).


Meanwhile England coach Clive Woodward said the England squad will be tough to beat at the final.


"All I'm saying is Australia are going to have to play very, very well to beat us. But that's why it's another great match up," he told reporters on Monday. He said England's recent track record is second to none.



"Since we lost in Paris almost two years ago it's now 22, 23 games, if you take away our second team playing against France in August we have lost a match."


Woodward said his team would stay focused on Saturday's game. "I think deep down I've always been confident at every game and we're going to go into this game very, very confident knowing that if we're full strength and properly prepared and we don't get sidetracked this week Australia are going to have to play very, very well to beat us, which they're capable of doing."

While some England players took time out to enjoy Sydney's beaches on Monday, fly-half Jonny Wilkinson, will have special security in the run-up to the match against Australia.


"The guy is a sought-after person and we kind of look after him when we know there's a lot of people around," said Woodward.


But he said the measures were a matter of course for their star player. "It's not just in the World Cup, it happens in England when we play at Twickenham and it's not minders its just a case of, you know, especially when we go training and doing things he needs to be looked after, but it's all good stuff and it's nothing new to the World Cup."


England defeated France 24-7 on Sunday and will face Australia in the final in Sydney on Saturday (November 22).


Bureau Report