Betsen scores the game's only try (Getty Images).

Final Score: England 24 France 7

80mins: The final whistle goes and England have done it - they're into the World Cup final. They'll face hosts and holders Australia next Saturday morning.

79mins: England are deep in French territory as they maintain possession.

79mins: The huge travelling army of England fans are in great voice now as Leonard rejoins the action along with Dorian West.

78mins: Gerald Merceron kicks for touch from behind his own line but France are on the brink of a comprehensive defeat.

77mins: England go wide to Greenwood but he's stopped in his tracks.

76mins: Tindall gathers a high kick near the French line and tries to get the ball down for a try. He's held up though and it's a scrum to England.

75mins: England have territorial dominance now as the clock winds down and "Swing Low Chariot" rings out from the stands.

74mins: England go wide to Cohen and he gathers a loose pass well. Thompson then drives forward. England set up Wilkinson for another drop but this one is charged down. Then Brusque knocks on and SEngland have a scrum deep in French territory.

73mins: Mike Tindall makes a break after a French knock-on but can't quite gather his kick.

72mins: PENALTY WILKINSON - Easy for the number 10 and England, leading by 17, have one foot in the final.

71mins: France try to run the ball from deep inside their own half but it's very ragged and a loose ball almost breaks to the marauding Hill. Jerome Thion is penalised and it's another chance for Wilkinson.

70mins: England knock on and it's a French scrum inside their own half.

69mins: England chip through for Cohen to chase and Poitrenaud has no option but to slide into touch.

68mins: Knock-on by the French as they try to make some progress.

67mins: "God Save The Queen" rings out around the Telstra Dome as the England contingent try to sing their team home.

66mins: France desperately try to run the ball but a loose pass sees them forced back.

65mins: Hill gets the ball out to Wilkinson and he pushes Rougerie back towards his own line. The French wing finds touch near his own 22.

64mins: England are well on top now and the French are struggling to get out of their own half. England have it again and Wilkinson hoists another kick.

64mins: PENALTY WILKINSON - Perfect again from the fly-half and surely England are now heading for a final showdown with Australia next weekend.

63mins: France are penalised yet again and up stespps Wilkinson for another kick at goal.

62mins: The rain continues to pour in Sydney as we get well into the final quarter of the game.

61mins: Michalak misses again - this time his kick falls short.

60mins:Kay is penalised for coming in from the side and Michalak will go for goal. His kicking has been poor so far but he really needs to make this one to put France back in the match.

59mins: France kick off deep but Catt produces a super clearing kick to take England up to halfway.

58mins: DROP GOAL WILKINSON - Back spins off and England set up Wilkinson for another drop goal - his third of the day. It's perfect and England lead by 11 heading into the final quarter of the match.

57mins: Greenwood forces Rougerie back with a deep kick and the French wing returns it out on the full. Poor decision and England are on the drive again on the French 22.

56mins: France penalised yet again and England have the put-in to a scrum on halfway.

55mins: England have a fantastic opportunity to reach the final now - France need two scores but are down to 14 men.

54mins: PENALTY WILKINSON - The England fly-half is okay after some treatment and he makes the French pay for that infringement by booting the penalty through. His team now have an eight-point lead.

52mins: England have establised a real territorial advantage now and Wilkinson hoists a high kick for Cohen to chase. Wilkinson is hit late after kicking and the French are penalised. It's that man Betsen again and he gets a yellow card for his latest infringement. France are down to 14 men as Wilkinson lies injured.

51mins: Wilkinson relives momentary pressure on England by finding touch on halfway.

50mins: Wilkinson is wide right and England blow the chance to take an eight-point lead. But the conditions are pretty horrendous - teeming rain and a swirling wind.

49mins: This time England do win lineout ball. They spread the play and Cohen bursts into the line to set the play up. France are penalised again and Wilikinson has a simpler chance to make it 15-7.

48mins: England lose another lineout and Brusque kicks to touch.

47mins: Wilkinson finds touch right on the French 22.

46mins: Betsen is penalised for the third or fourth time and he'll get a lecture from referee O'Brien.

45mins: Michalak again misses and France blow a chance to cut the score to 12-10.

44mins: Catt is penalised and Michalak has a chance to cut the gap to two points.

43mins: Poitrenaud's kick to touch is poor and England have a lineout deep in French territory.

42mins: It's a difficult kick and Wilkinson pulls it wide of the right post.

41mins: France are penalised early and Wilkinson will go for goal again. This is a crucial kick - if he gets it the French need two scores to reclaim the lead.

41mins: Wilkinson restarts the game and England already have a boost with the news that Dawson is back on after some repairs to that head wound.

40mins: PENALTY WILKINSON - It's a beauty from England's number 10 and they lead 12-7 as the half-time whistle goes.

40mins: England are in charge now and Betsen is penalised. Meanwhile Dawson's head is streaming with blood and he'll have to go off for running repairs. Kyran Bracken comes on to replace him. Meanwhile Wilkinson prepares for another crucial kick. Just outside the French 10-metre line.

38mins: DROP GOAL WILKINSON - England drive into the French 22 and Dallaglio breaks away. England are starting to use their forward power. They set up Wilkinson for the drop and he gives his team a 9-7 lead on the brink of half-time.

37mins: The rampaging Back makes a break but it's fumbled and France turn it over. Poitrenaud finds touch on his own 22.

37mins: Wilkinson finds touch just outside the French 22.

36mins: Catt gets away from Betsen's tackle and sets things up nicely for England. Greenwood tries to increase the forward momentum but everything is pretty disjointed at present. A French hand goes in and it's a penalty to England.

35mins: France disrupt the England lineout but Harinordoqui knocks on.

35mins: France win a scrum just on their own 22 and Brusque finds touch inside the England half.

34mins: Now France are back up to 15 men but it's not Dominici coming back on. Clement Poitrenaud makes his entrance.

33mins: Horrible kick by Jauzion and England surge into the French half. They kick behind the French defence and Rougerie's clearing kick doesn't find touch. England still have it with Back inside the French half. Dawson elects to go on the short side and his pass intended for Cohen goes straight into touch.

32mins: France try a deft chip through Tony Marsh and Jauzion and Cohen are involved in a chase for the line. Cohen gets there first and dives on the ball. England will drop out.

32mins: Now France have it and Jauzion carves his way through a couple of tackles.

31mins: Johnson disrupts the French lineout and there's a knock-on by Les Bleus.

31mins: France are still down to 14 men as Catt finds a good touch just inside his own 10-metre line.

30mins: PENALTY WILKINSON - The Newcastle fly-half makes no mistake this time and England just trail by one with 10 minutes remaining in the first half.

29mins: Wilkinson hoists a high one, Brusque fumbles it and the French are offside. Penalty to England and a great chance for Wilkinson to cut the gap.

28mins: France knock on - scrum to England on halfway.

28mins: France win the lineout and Brusque finds touch on halfway.

27mins: Josh Lewsey tries to kick England into a good position but it's straight down Michalak's throat and he returns it. Now Catt has the ball and he does find a good touch in French territory.

26mins: Wilkinson finds a super touch inside the French 22. Harinordoqui almost got a touch but it's a France lineout. It's Harinordoqui who wins it.

26mins: Galthie hoists a high ball into England territory. Cohen fumbles, but backwards and England eventually clear their lines. They're slightly fortunate to avoid the knock-on.

25mins: Neil Back tries to make a break down the short side for England but is hauled into touch.

24mins: Wilkinson just misses with the penalty as the rain absolutely teems down in the Telstra Stadium. Conditions are very tricky now, as the number of knock-ons show.

23mins: The crowd want a red card for Dominici but it's only yellow.

23mins: Dominici deliberately trips the marauding Robinson after being beaten by a super sidestep and is penalised.

23mins: France win the lineout but then knock on. Scrum to England right on halfway.

22mins: England set up play on halfway but Wilkinson's attempted pass to Cohen is woeful and goes into touch.

22mins: Michalak's kick goes out on the full, he's had a nervy spell after that superb conversion of Betsen's try.

21mins: Michalak misses again surprisingly and England are still only four points behind - it should really be 10.

20mins: Johnson is penalised for coming in from the side of the maul and it's another chance for France to extend their lead.

20mins: Wilkinson finds a conservative touch on halfway. The stadium is pretty quiet as the fans wait for England to hit top gear.

19mins: England win the lineout but Cohen is upended as he comes into the line. Wilkinson gets his kick away as Betsen is penalised for offside.

18mins: Now Imanol Harinordoqui knocks on and it's England ball. Catt hoofs it straight down the middle but Brusque takes a finds a good touch. The French appear to have a wind advantage and are dominating territorially so far.

18mins: Yet another knock-on by England in the greasy conditions - another scrum to France.

17mins: Michalak's kick-off sends England back behind their own line. Robinson touches down and Wilkinson will drop out.

16mins: Michalak misses what was a pretty simple penalty chance for him and England dodge a bullet.

16mins: Michalak has a chance to put France 10-3 ahead.

15mins: Jason Robinson tries to get England moving but there's no room to run and Clive Woodward's team are penalised for obstruction.

14mins: Galthie's kick is charged down inside his own half but Betsen recovers possession. Then Galthie finds an excellent touch inside the England 10-metre line.

14mins: France try to run the ball but Michalak misplaces his pass.

13mins: England fail to find touch and once again they are deep inside their own territory. At last Wilkinson steadies things by finding touch on halfway.

12mins: Lovely kick over the top by Michalak but Yannick Jauzion knocks on as he tries to catch it. Scrum to England and although they win it the French disrupt as Galthie gets to Dallaglio and wraps him up.

11mins: England try to regain their composure after the shock of that Betsen try.

10mins: CONVERSION MICHALAK - It's a beauty from the young fly-hal and France have a 7-3 lead.

10mins: TRY BETSEN - After an anxious wait the try is given and France lead it 5-3.

10mins: France roar straight back immediately and Serge Betsen makes a stunning break following a lineout. He's over for what appears to be a French try but this one will go to a video ref. He may have lost possession in the greasy conditions under pressure from Richard Hill.

9mins: DROP GOAL WILKINSON - England are set up perfectly between the sticks for a close-range drop goal and Wilkinson makes absolutely no mistake. It's straight and true - his 18th for England.

8mins: France are penalised from the scrum and England have a free-kick. They set play up in midfield just inside the French 22.

8mins: Steve Thompson pinches possession after the French lineout and storms towards the try line. But a knock-on saves the day for the French.

7mins: England put real pressure on the French scrum and they win the next one. Greenwood bursts into the line and breaks a tackle. England make progress into the French half and Mike Catt drops a kick in behind the French defence. Aurelien Rougerie can't get hold of the ball and Ben Cohen is right on him. He kicks ahead but it goes into touch. Lucky for France.

6mins: Leonard goes off after a brief appearance and Vickery rejoins the action.

5mins: Kay wins the lineout for England and Jonny Wilkinson kicks deep. Then Nicholas Brusque returns it with interest but the ball goes out on the full.

5mins: Jason Leonard is on for Vickery to win his 112th cap - a new international record.

4mins: Now England have a scrum and it ends in another fracas. The tension is huge and these two teams are incredibly pumped up. Phil Vickery has blood coming from his nose and he heads for the touchline. France also get a penalty and Michalak finds touch deep inside English territory.

3mins: Ben Kay takes England's first lineout and Matt Dawson makes a sniping break. Then England delay their pass, there's another knock-on and it's a scrum to France. Then Martin Johnson gets involved in a bit of "afters" with Christophe Dominici.

2mins: France win the scrum and Fabien Galthie chips into touch. Lineout to England inside their own half.

2mins: The first handling error by England as Will Greenwood spills the ball in a tackle. Scrum to France.

1min: Paddy O'Brien blows his whistle and Frederic Michalak gets this semi-final under way to huge cheers in the Telstra Stadium.

Pre-match: The French get through their anthem without any tears, but who will be crying when the 80 minutes up. The waiting is almost over.

Pre-match: If you want to know just how fired up England are for this game, Lawrence Dallaglio is virtually in tears as he sings "God Save The Queen".

Pre-match: Weather report from Sydney - it's wet, wet and wet. The rain has been teeming down and the conditions won't make for open, running rugby.

Pre-match: England have Richard Hill back after recovering from a troublesome hamstring injury, and are at full strength for their biggest game in eight years. France meanwhile are unchanged from that highly impressive quarter-final demolition of Ireland last weekend. Kick-off in the Telstra Stadium is at 0900 GMT.