The Rugby World Cup hosts face Australia without a Martin Johnson or Jonny Wilkinson,reliant in a must-win game on the return of someone who started the year as third-choice No13It is not an overstatement to say that Saturday night’s encounter between England and Australia is the most essential pool match in World Cup history. The hosts of the biggest of all the tournaments will be knocked out if they lose. If a hefty section of the fallout will settle over Twickenham, it will also be scattered wide and I doubt we would again see a group containing three of the leading teams in the rankings.
Never before has the host nation failed to qualify for the quarter-finals. France had to beat Ireland in their group in 2007 after losing to Argentina, or but the Irish were all over the position that year. It is more likely to happen at Twickenham because Australia are a team on the way up,and England are under the most formidable pressure, fully aware of the consequences of defeat.
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Source: theguardian.com