2007 Rugby World Cup Semifinal: England 14-9 France

England triumphed 14-9 in the semifinals of the 2007 Rugby World Cup tonight, knocking out France in front of partisan Paris crowd.

The World Cup exploded to life last weekend, with England shocking Australia and France conquering the All Blacks in the two best games of the tournament.

The semifinal match failed to hit those spectacular highs, but still proved to be a tense, entertaining affair.

England picked up where they left off against Australia, stunning Les Bleus with a try from Lewsey in the first minute. Jonny Wilkinson missed the touchline conversion, but England still led 5-0.

France were overeager to come back after that, resorting to speculative 50-yard attempts. Two defensive mistakes by England let the hosts back in the game, though, with Beauxis kicking a pair of penalties for a 6-5 lead after 20 minutes.

After a quiet finish to the first half, the second opened fast and furious. Both teams traded penalty kicks, with Wilkinson finally getting on the scoreboard after three early misses.

England never stopped scrapping for the lead. Wilkinson's 58th-minute drop kick hit the post, and Robinson came close to scoring a try shortly after—but France continued to hold a 9-8 advantage.

With 10 minutes left, the French had a golden opportunity to seal a place in the Final—only to be thwarted by a match-saving tap tackle from a flailing Worsley.

At the five-minute mark, Wilkinson found his kicking boots long enough to convert a penalty in front of the sticks, giving the 2003 World Cup winners an 11-9 lead. A minute later, Jonny sealed England's place in the Final with a drop-kick goal to earn a 14-9 win.

England's second against-the-odds victory gives them a surprising opportunity to defend their title—and possibly to avenge a 36-0 hammering at the hands of South Africa in the Group Stage, depending on the outcome of the other semifinal match.

France, meanwhile, has to make due with the scant consolation of hosting a successful and highly entertaining World Cup.

As England chases a second championship, Les Bleus will have to wait four more years for another crack at their first.