England 28 Wales 17For the second time in a week Wales shook a World Cup favourite senseless and still suffered the agony of defeat.
This time it was England who staggered home in unconvincing style to earn a semi-final encounter with rampant France which should bring Clive Woodward out in a cold sweat.
Indeed, had it not been for their usual twin saviours Jonny Wilkinson and Jason Robinson, England might not have been there at all after Wales emerged 3-1 victors on the try count.
It was Robinson who opened up the Welsh defence for his side's solitary touchdown and Wilkinson who booted home the 23 points that won the game. But Wales deserve all the plaudits and also provided the moment of the match, Stephen Jones' 31st-minute touchdown that will go down as a contender for try of the tournament.
Williams started the move with a neat side-step on halfway which gave him the space to release Jones. Gareth Thomas was up in support and when he was ankle tapped, Williams was on hand to take the full-back's despairing pass, albeit with a bit of a juggle.
The little winger could not get over himself but Jones had continued his own run, took the scoring pass and skidded over the line. It was amazing stuff, reminiscent of the performance France had put on in Melbourne earlier in the day and so different from the largely leaden-footed efforts of England who, if the game is to be the victory, will hopefully not be gracing the final in Sydney on November 22nd.
Seven days ago, no-one would have offered Wales a hope of repelling Clive Woodward's army. That was before their stunning encounter with New Zealand though, which the Welsh led after an hour only to fade at the death.
Even so, the odds on Steve Hansen's side being able to repeat those heroics were quite high, especially as England had a point to prove after watching the All Blacks and France advance to their last four with scintillating style.
Yet while England had most of the play, their application was sloppy. Wilkinson missed a simple penalty, passes went to ground and in Dan Luger, England had a team member who on the evidence of the form he produced tonight did not warrant a place in Old Bosworthians fourth XV.
At one stage, Luger laughably conceded 15 metres which a woefully screwed clearance kick which nearly saw England's defence punctured for a third time. Another try at that stage would really have set the alarm bells ringing as Charvis had already added a second score to Jones' first amazing effort.
Those scores had obliterated Wilkinson's single penalty success but though Wales galloped down the tunnel to huge cheers, they would later have cause to regret Jones' failure to convert either try or a first-half penalty.
With Luger replaced by Mike Catt at the interval, England looked a more solid outfit at the start of the second period and when Jason Robinson darted through in trademark style and raced 50 metres towards the Welsh line, Will Greenwood was on hand to scamper the remaining 10. Wilkinson was in no mood to offer forgiveness, slotting home the touchline conversion to level the scores, then stepping up to split the uprights five times in 19 minutes, every one a penalty, to put England into a clear lead they would never lose.
It was not for the want of trying though as Martyn Williams grabbed Wales' third try nine minutes from time. Iestyn Harris failed with the penalty which would have reduced the gap to five points shortly afterwards and when Wilkinson landed a drop-goal in the final minute, England's semi-final spot was secure.