Rugby World Cup Pool A: Hosts England exit thanks to fab Foley

England’s early attempts at a second-half response were repelled by a gold and green wall, with Foley profiting from prop Joe Marley’s ill-discipline to take the Wallabies to 20 points.

Launchbury then teed up Watson to launch himself over and give the hosts hope of a comeback, but it came to nothing despite Farrell converting and later adding another penalty. With English tails up after coming to within a converted try of Australia, it was man of the match Foley that brought composure.

The hosts’ fate was sealed, however, when Farrell was sin-binned inside the final 10 minutes for tackling Giteau without the ball on a video review by the TMO.

That afforded Foley further opportunities with two more penalties, plus converting Giteau’s late crossing, sealing a record individual Wallabies haul of 28 points against England.

Aussie coach Michael Cheika saw his decision to revert back to the XV that made a victorious start to Pool A vindicated entirely by such a significant and terminal result for opposite number Lancaster, whose future is now in real doubt.

Defeat for England also confirms Wales’ place in the quarter-finals alongside the Wallabies. That makes the battle between Australia, cut into 7/2 second favourites with Coral (from 13/2) to win the Rugby World Cup, and Warren Gatland’s men next weekend a dead rubber.

Both the Wallabies and Wales will be keen to avoid facing resurgent South Africa in the last eight, though. English rugby’s soul-searching begins again with the current crop crumbling on the biggest stage and simply unable emulate that triumphant 2003 vintage.