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PARIS - Dashing England wing Paul Sackey has promised the improving world champions will not give up their title without a fight after booking a quarterfinal berth against old rugby rivals Australia.
The London Wasps wing has scored four tries in England's last two games, managing doubles during the 44-22 win over Samoa and yesterday's (NZT) 36-20 victory against Tonga which secured his team a last eight clash against the Wallabies - a repeat of the 2003 World Cup final.
"We're still the holders so people have got to take it from us - we're taking every game as it goes and looking forward to Australia now," said Sackey, 27.
"If we keep going the way we are going, we can cause any side a problem."
It looked as if Sackey was going to miss out on international rugby until, after fellow wing Mark Cueto was injured, he was given a debut by former England coach Andy Robinson against New Zealand last November.
Now Sackey, rather like an England team who have slumped alarmingly since winning the World Cup, is determined to make up for lost time.
"That was the biggest game I have ever played in so it was nice to score two tries," he said of the Tonga match where Sackey almost ran the length of the field at the Parc des Princes for his second try.
"That try, I knew I had the gas and just had to pin my ears back," said Sackey, who credits Margot Wells, wife of British 1980 Olympic 100m champion Allan and a renowned sprint coach in her own right, for making him sharper.
England, as a whole, looked far more up with the pace against Tonga than in any of their previous pool A matches, which included a 0-36 loss to South Africa.
Not the least of their successes against both Samoa and Tonga was in giving the likes of Sackey the ball in attacking positions - something that has been a problem in recent years - and seeing tries scored as a result.
"It's very special when you have a finisher who can get an opportunity and take it," England captain Martin Corry said of Sackey.
But Sackey, sometimes criticised for defensive lapses, said both he and the team were far from the finished article.
"There's still a lot to work to do and we know that. I came off the field knowing there were areas I could improve on as well."
- AFP
