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PARIS - When it comes to ritual sporting humiliation, England have more often than not resembled the bloodied corpse and Australia, the merciless executioner.
The 2005 Ashes cricket success and the 2003 rugby World Cup triumph have been rare highlights for England's long-suffering fans who have grown wearily familiar with the power of the Australian juggernaut.
When it comes to the rugby World Cup, the English can at least boast a level playing field with two wins apiece ahead of Sunday's (NZ time) eagerly-awaited quarter-final in Marseille.
England centre Andy Farrell knows all about Australian power having skippered the Great Britain rugby league team against the all-conquering Kangaroos before switching codes.
"In the sport that I've come from they have been dominant for many, many years and it will be great to have a battle with them again," said Farrell.
England skipper Martin Corry was relishing the prospect of taking on the Wallabies and believes his team has been fired up by Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill's claim that everyone in Australia 'hates' the English.
"When people make those kinds of comments it does not show them in a great light," wrote Corry in a newspaper blog.
"All he has done, in fact, is fire us up even more."
In the build-up to the 2003 final, famously won by Jonny Wilkinson's drop goal, there was little doubt about how low the English had sunk in the estimation of some Aussies.
"Arrogant England!" blasted the Brisbane Courier-Mail.
"The English have always been an arrogant race," added Wallabies star Toutai Kefu.
However, a London-based academic, professor Carl Bridge said the animosity was in fact a hidden compliment.
"It's a backhanded way of saying, 'We like you,'" said Bridge.
"It's because the English are seen as part of the family that they can be insulted round the dinner table. It shows the respect and rivalry that exists. It's like insulting your brother. It's great fun."
Australia won the first World Cup clash between the two rivals in the inaugural 1987 edition courtesy of a 19-6 win in Sydney with tries from Simon Poidevin and David Campese.
Four years later it was 2-0 with Australia winning 12-6 in the final at Twickenham although arguments still persist over whether or not Campese's knock down was deliberate and should have been punished with a penalty try.
In 1995, England got revenge with a 25-22 quarter-final win in Cape Town through an extra-time, 50-metre drop goal from Rob Andrew.
Then came 2003 and Sydney and Wilkinson's extra-time drop goal for a 20-17 win.
- AFP
