Australia get the drop on holders?

Ah. The old grudge match. England take on Australia in a World Cup for the fifth time, with the scores reading two all. Both sides have beaten each other away from home to win the Webb Ellis Trophy, and yet both title holders are here scrapping in Marseille to get a shot at the world No.1 side, New Zealand in the semis. It all seems a bit beneath them both really. The Wallabies have cruised through Pool B, crushing Wales in Cardiff and cuffing aside any minnow in their path. England on the other hand have stuttered their way in to the quarters. There realistically can only be one winner; the favourites.There are two aspects to John Connolly's side that can give England fans hope - the continued absence of Stephen Larkham and Australia's forwards. In the past, the Wallabies became experts at putting into a practice a game-plan that helped them circumvent their lightweight forwards. That is beginning to change, and numerous times in this competition, they have looked to their pack for momentum. Still, Brian Ashton has in his possession a brutish, heavyweight pack that should give their old foes a severe working over. Larkham is one of the game's superb talents. He reads a match so well, that he barely gets out of first gear. He glides through gaps that he knows will appear, and he formulated the template of the defensive fly-half that Jonny Wilkinson has made his own in the last eight years. Punters must take into account his absence. There is no doubt that Berrick Barnes is gifted. His movement and orchestration of the backline against Wales was superb, and his two drop-goals from two attempts are an added string to Australia's bow. He is untested however, and if former England coach Sir Clive Woodward taught punters anything, it was that experience counts for a lot in the big games. Australia should win this game, and cover the handicap, too. For those who want something a little different however, a drop-goal by England 16-1 , or by Australia 33-1 as the first scoring play could prove lucrative. Barnes has a record scoring them and it hardly needs to be said that Wilkinson does also. Verdict: Drop goal first scoring play: 1pt England @ 16/1 (Totesport, Betfred); 1pt Australia @ 33/1 (SportingBet, Stan James) (Editor's Note: Berrick Barnes showed that he is capable of stepping up to the mark with a fine display against Wales. He could get on the scoreboard early with a drop goal. Follow all the latest prices on Totesport and Betfred!)