Wilkinson kicks England to victory. (Getty Images)

By Neal Collins

They came here with a record as bad as Puff the Magic Dragon.

They leave with a reputation for breathing fire.

Woeful Wales became Hansen's Heroes on Saturday. But like Scotland against Australia the night before, they finally failed against the better prepared opponents.

But only just.

This was the only World Cup quarter-final worthy of the name, after three miserable mismatches.

It was a priviliege to be here in Brisbane, to witness the 'Best of British' Down Under in front of a packed house.

Jason Robinson apart, England showed little of the old World Cup-winning magic as they ground out another ugly victory on the back of numerous Jonny Wilkinson penalties.

And just when the world No 1 ranked side thought they'd recovered from two wonderful Welsh tries from Stephen Jones and Colin Charvis, there was Martyn Williams popping up late on to make the try-count 3-1 to the men in red.

France are nailed on to win the semi in Sydney next Sunday if England play the way they did here.

Robinson, who beat five men to lay on Will Greenwood's try, can hold his head up.

Wilkinson recovered to kick 23 points after an awful, nervy start.

Mike Catt made a difference when he came on at half-time for desperate Dan Luger.

But Clive Woodward needs to take a long, hard look at the rest of them.

We knew it might be a tough night when Wilkinson's first-minute penalty hit the post from goalable range after a great early break from Matt Dawson.

Wilko had been kicking out in the Suncorp Stadium for an hour and 40 minutes before the game.

Is it all too much? Are we trying too hard?

We soon found out.

Four minutes in, Wales should have scored.

Their first real charge was impressive, their second saw the huge bulk of Robert Sidoli plunge over the line but Lewis Moody appeared to knock the ball from his grasp.

That's as close as it gets.

Then a poor kick from Wilkinson and the Welsh were charging again with England looking stretched.

The Aussies were loving it, the Welsh were going crazy.

Twice Ireland's French-speaking referee Alain Rolland penalised the Welsh scrum to provide welcome English relief.

Ten minutes gone, still no score.

England looked shaky, perhaps over-prepared. Wales looked cocky, dangerous.

Then Wilkinsons's break, Dawson...at last a bit of progress.

But it was a false dawn.

Ref Rolland gave Wales a controversial penalty for obstruction against Neil Back as Robinson weaved his way out but Stephen Jones, just like Wilko, hit the post.

In the 12th minute, the old Anglo-Cymru rivalry broke out...thanks to Australian Brett Cockbain, who lashed out at anyone in a white shirt.

Up in the commentary box the Aussies, their one-eyed views piped in to my ear, said: "That's good work from Cockbain."

England were really struggling now, with the normally perfect Steve Thompson giving up line-out possession and England turning the ball over in the loose.

Fifteen minutes. Still no points. Has there ever been a more exciting scoreless quarter of an hour?

Then Wales were caught going over the ball and from 45 long metres, Wilkinson's left foot made it 3-0 after 17 minutes and 30 seconds.

But still the world's No 1 ranked side were wobbling.

Thompson threw away another line-out, Wilkinson missed a drop goal attempt after ten hard-won phases, Lawrence Dallaglio messed up another up-and-under and Greenwood hesitated with only one to beat.

This was not how it was meant to be.

Then from a penalty right in front, Ben Cohen popped a cross kick straight in to welcoming Welsh hands as tiny Neil Back desperately tried to make the try-scoring catch.

This was what the Welsh did to the All Blacks in Sydney a week ago. They ruffled feathers, forced bad decisions.

But it could only be a matter of time. Wales were seeing less and less of the ball. Desperate defence at this level can only last so long.

Yet England were giving them plenty of help.

The distracted Greenwood, who went home for a week to attend to his pregnant wife, knocked on after another huge effort which lasted 11 phases.

Half-an-hour gone and for all the hustle, England had only one Wilko penalty on the board.

Jason Leonard, equalling Phillipe Sella's world record of 111 caps, kept Wales on the back foot.

But when the try finally came, it was dressed in red and it was scintillating.

And it came from Mike Tindall's awful cross kick.

Shane Williams pouched it, whipped past Ben Kay and laid it inside to Gareth Cooper, who tore through the line. Then to Williams again, he juggled the ball, then whipped it inside, beautifully, for Stephen Jones to score. Brilliant!

Jones missed the conversion but we had 32 minutes on the clock and Wales were winning 5-3.

But it got worse for England.

Cohen, racing Williams for a long kick, won the sprint but hung on when tackled.

Incredibly Wales went to the line-out from the penalty and promptly shoved England's much-vaunted scrum right over their own line. What?

Colin Charvis, the wonderful but clubless Welsh captain, touched it down.

Last week he scored against the All Blacks, this week, England. Some double. Somebody give him a contract!

All those secret training sessions, all those millions spent on preparation, all that misinformation over injuries and here we sit, four minutes before half-time and it's Wales 10 England 3 with Wilko making yet another mistake.

Bloody hell.

Just before half-time Wilko got caught outside his own 22 and Luger actually kicked BACKWARDS for touch, giving Wales another great chance.

This time Engand held firm but starting the second half seven points down and with a Woodward rocket behind them, England knew then had to get back in the game. Quickly.

Unsurprisingly Catt was on instead of Luger.

What a difference he made, settling Wilko and prompting England forward.

It needed 60 yards of magic from Robinson to get England going.

The legs of 'Billy Whizz' beat umpteen Welshmen before the ball was handed to surprise winger Greenwood, who made it quite clear that the television replay was unnecessary as he plunged over in the corner.

Wilko converted from as wide as it gets. Three minutes in, 10-10, nerves are jangling on both benches now.

But England were regaining their composure.

Another big surge, England held up on the line three times by glorious Welsh defence but Wilko lands the subsequent penalty, 13-10 five minutes in.

Now it was all England. Another Robinson run, good work from Back and Dallaglio and Charvis, frustrated, shoves them off the ball. Wilkinson penalty, 16-10.

But Wales weren't giving up.

Makeshift full-back Gareth Thomas made a lovely break from the restart and better handling by the backs would have had England in serious trouble. Twice.

Greenwood, groggy after a big hit, was off for Stuart Abbott.

Earlier, the record-breaking Leonard went off for Trevor Woodman.

On the run, Wales still look frightening, but they keep making silly mistakes.

So it's England who score next. How? How do you think?

Thomas is caught holding on, Wilko pouches the penalty.

Five minutes later, same thing, 22-10.

Amidst all this, the fans - English, Welsh, Australian - are on the edge of their red and yellow seats here.

If nothing else, England have provided three of the tightest games in a tournament of few real surprises.

Now all the breaks were from the men in white.

Wales, exhausted after an hour of punching above their weight, were spent.

But what an effort!

What a comeback after all those pre-World Cup months in the doldrums.

The jokers had turned out kings, but not for 80 minutes.

After 66 minutes, Wilkinson added another three pointer.

But Wales hit back, a cross kick bouncing off a despairing Dallaglio for replacement Martyn Williams to score with Iestyn Harris converting.

Surely these wheezing Welsh, these have-a-go-heroes couldn't come back now?

A petulant kick from an England forward saw a harmless penalty moved ten yards and suddenly come in range for Harris, but he missed to the right.

A key mistake from 47 metres, the score stayed 25-17 with five to play.

There was time for Wilko to add a last drop goal, giving England an undeserved 11-point edge.

If tries are what people come to see, Wales were the winners.

But that won't console them on the flight home.