Jonny Wilkinson's magical drop goal for England revisited ahead of Rugby World Cup

England had got to the final with victories over Georgia, South Africa, Samoa and Uruguay in the group stages.

In the last eight, they'd been able to overcome Wales before then battering France to reach the biggest stage rugby has to offer.

Australia, however, were never going to be easy.

The hosts had been in outstanding form themselves, memorably beating New Zealand with the help of the home crowd to set up the blockbuster showdown.

Australia opened the scoring through Lote Tuqiri, with the winger scoring the first try in the sixth minute of the match.

They missed the conversion, however, something that would ultimately come back to bite them.

Jonny Wilkinson then scored three successive penalties to boost the visitors, sparking wild celebrations back home in the process.

As the rain fell, the intensity of the match only increased.

Ben Kay looked to have scored a try, only for the now 47-year-old to knock the ball on instead.

But England finally got their first try of the final through Jason Robinson, with the winger scoring on the left after some sensational work from Lawrence Dallaglio.

England, at that point, led 14-5. But two sloppy penalties allowed Elton Fatley to bring Australia back into the match - with the fly-half then managing to level the game late on.

Wilkinson and Flatley then exchanged penalties to make the match 17-17.

Right at the death, however, England struck gold to reach the promised land.

Wilkinson, knowing there were mere seconds left, scored a breathtaking drop goal to win the final in the most dramatic of circumstances.

The whistle blew and England were champions, winners of the Rugby World Cup for the first time in their history.

That, to this date, remains the greatest moment in the sport for people on these shores.

England have reached the final twice in the years since. On both occasions, however, they've tasted defeat.

They were a mess at the beginning of the 2007 World Cup in France.

Yet they responded by making the final against all odds, with South Africa then beating them 15-6 in Paris.

Four years ago it was a similar story.

England reached the stage in Japan but South Africa, once again, were able to lift the prize.

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Now, as the tournament creeps closer, fans will be dreaming of glory again. There's no Wilkinson these days - but that moment against the Aussies all those years ago will live on forever.