England - praise from unlikely source.

By Alex Lowe, PA Sport, Sydney

If Sunday was filled with the sound of Australians munching on humble pie, on Monday the newspapers Down Under buried over a century of fierce sporting rivalry to herald England as deserving world champions.

The Pommie-bashing of the last six weeks was finally forgotten as Australia basked in the knowledge that their proud Wallabies had contributed to the greatest final ever, only to be eventually beaten by a "man with wizardry in his feet".

The Sydney Morning Herald issued a full-page 'Public Notice' on behalf of all Australians, admitting the parochial drivel that had spilled forth all week about how England were a boring side, overly reliant on Wilkinson, had been exactly that.

"We would like to admit the following: You were not too old; you were not too slow; you scored as many tries as we did; you ran the ball as much as we did; you entertained as much as we did; you played with class, toughness and grace; you were bloody superior."

The full-page spread continued: "As a result, we believe Twickenham is the most fitting home for Bill (the Webb Ellis Trophy)."

The newspaper, which could not resist the odd light-hearted dig at England's cricketers, said the time had come to "forgive you for using Australia as a dumping ground for your poor, weak and defenceless - even if the practice continues unabated every fourth summer (during an Ashes series)."

It said no longer would the Socceroos' victory over Sven-Goran Eriksson's England earlier this year be included on "our boastful list of sporting triumphs because, on reflection it was only a friendly and you substituted your entire team at half-time".

The paper concluded: "We officially remove the 215-year-old chip(s) from our shoulder."

The conciliatory mood was helped significantly by the gallant performance of the Wallabies who staged a spirited and courageous second-half comeback to force extra-time and ensure the final was the greatest of all time.

A sea of gold and white covered the city as tens of thousands of fans watched the game together, drank together, sang together, celebrated and commiserated together. It was the biggest street party to hit Sydney since the Olympics.

"This cup was touched by magic," the Sydney Morning Herald declared on its front page.

The Australian took a similar theme: "It was magic" raved the headline.

"Driven by self-belief, the Wallabies refused to yield. But they were up against a proud opponent with a deep desire to hold aloft the Webb Ellis Cup and erase a generation of sporting failure.

"It came down to the man with wizardry in his feet. He delivered, but the beaten home side could still celebrate and smile with pride. It was a sporting contest of rare magnificence."

The Australian was the newspaper which first got stuck into England, famously taunting after the victory over South Africa with: "Is That All You've Got?."

Monday they conceded Wilkinson's boot was all they needed.

The Sydney Daily Telegraph had run a 'Stop Jonny' campaign all week. But the voodoo doll and the T-shirts did little to help Australia.

Monday they conceded Wilkinson was simply unstoppable and officially declared: "We give up."

Columnist David Penberthy wrote: "To ignore his greatness would be unconscionable. For this reason the Daily Telegraph goes one better that its sister paper The Sun, which is demanding Jonny be knighted. We are offering Jonny Australian citizenship."

It was not only on the field that England had the last laugh.

Sydney Daily Telegraph journalist Paul Kent suggested loyal Wallaby fans might like to stand outside the England hotel the night before the game, blow their whistles, bang their drums and do their best to disrupt England.

The Sun objected and published Kent's mobile phone number.

Monday Kent detailed how he was colourfully reminded of the score and the winners throughout the night and long into Sunday.

"Somebody had to finally take it too far," he wrote.

"After hundreds of phone calls and even more text messages the phone had to go off. It was only on for a minute on Sunday - Sunday's early hours in England - before it started again.

"First call: '(singing) Swing low, sweet chariot...'