Australia celebrate winning the final. (Getty Images)

By Reece Killworth

Those involved in the decision insist they were right.

Those on the outside - particularly the press - point to it as the decision that cost England the World Cup.

The truth, as is so often the case, is somewhere in the middle.

The key decision was to do away with the safety-first tactics that had booked England a final showdown with Australia in favour of a far more expansive style.

Their subsequent 12-6 defeat at Twickenham saw plenty of criticism directed at the key figures in the England set-up.

But skipper Will Carling stands by the decision, pointing to the fact his side had been beaten 40-15 in Sydney a little over three months earlier and had to change or risk a similar mauling.

Whatever the truth, though, the World Cup stayed Down Under - albeit across the Tasman Sea.

And no-one could argue that the Wallabies had not deserved to lift the Webb Ellis Trophy.

In the pool stages, the Aussies had been pitted against Argentina, Western Samoa and Wales.

A 38-3 triumph against the Welsh at Cardiff Arms Park was the highlight, a result which also spelt the end of the joint-hosts' participation in the tournament following a defeat by the Pacific Islanders - who went through - in their opening game.

New Zealand and England moved through from Pool A, with the All Blacks topping the group having beaten Carling's men 18-12 in the tournament opener, while Scotland and Ireland eased through from Pool B.

France and Canada completed the quarter-final line-up from Pool D at the expense of Romania and Fiji, who had reached the last eight just four years earlier.

But while the men from the South Sea were heading home, England had the small matter of a showdown with France in the Parc des Princes to look forward to.

That match became a brutal physical battle, and a Will Carling try at the end of a trademark maul eventually sealed a 19-10 victory for England.

The Auld Enemy joined them in the semi-finals with a comfortable 28-6 Murrayfield victory over Western Samoa before stepping out of the spotlight to allow the Southern Hemisphere giants to take centre stage.

The defending champions were first to book their place in the last four, thanks to a 29-13 defeat of Canada, and they were joined there by the Aussies after a rip-roaring clash with Ireland at Landsdowne Road.

Gordon Hamilton's try - his first for his country - put the Irish in front to the delight of the home crowd with just four minutes left, but the Wallabies were not done there.

Michael Lynagh was the hero for the Aussies with the last-gasp touchdown that enabled them to complete the last-four line-up.

But in their semi-final with big rivals New Zealand, another man took centre stage.

A brace of tries from David Campese proved the difference between the sides, leading Australia into their first World Cup final with a 16-6 victory in Dublin.

There they were joined by England, who banished their 1990 Grand Slam hangover with a 9-6 victory over Scotland at Murrayfield.

Rob Andrew landed a late drop-goal to clinch the win for the away side after Gavin Hastings had squandered a routine place-kick for the Scots 20 minutes from time.

And there was further disappointment for the men from north of the border in the third/fourth place play-off as New Zealand triumphed 13-6.

So the stage was set for a showpiece between the giants of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

England v Australia at Twickenham and a debate that rages to this day.

Carling's men switched from safety-first to ball in hand and were beaten 12-6 despite turning in a decent performance.

They made plenty of chances but failed to convert, while the Aussies scored the only try of the game to triumph.

And so history was made as Nick Farr-Jones lifted the trophy, with the Australians winning the first World Cup held in the Northern Hemisphere.

They came, they saw, they conquered.