In a match of huge collisions and amid an atmosphere as frantic as sport gets Jonny Wilkinson kept England in the World Cup.

The man whose last World Cup action four years ago had been to win the Webb Ellis trophy with perhaps the most famous drop goal in rugby history, gave Brian Ashton's men the direction and the inspiration they desperately needed.

Oh yes, 24 points from that left boot helped too.

But no-one should have gone away from the Stade de la Beaujoire, which England fans among the 37,022 turned into a mini-Twickenham, with the idea that somehow this 44-22 victory was a springboard to launch England into the knockout phase of the World Cup.

In the strictest sense it was a triumph of brain over brawn, but it was a damn close call and one which will have Tonga relishing the challenge when they face England in next Friday's Pool A eliminator.

Ben Kay had promised that England's players would ``Play the game of our lives.'' They were a long way from doing that.

Head coach Brian Ashton had told his men to ``Stand up and be counted.'' They managed that.

In truth there has been too much of that sort of talk. England's World Cup so far has been long on hype and short on action.

But, no question, this was a better balanced England side, which was always likely to be the case with Wilkinson returning at fly-half and Olly Barkley filling the key inside centre role.

Scrum-half Andy Gomarsall also provided a swifter service, allowing England to play at a much higher tempo.

There was more zip, much more direction.

And a lot more fire. Heaven knows, they needed it after a performance against South Africa which hovered between tepid and zero.

No, it will not have caused as much as a frisson of apprehension in the ranks of Australia and New Zealand.

And, do you know what, those Tongans, who took a bonus point against South Africa earlier in the day with a brave 30-25 defeat, will be relishing rewriting the history books.

But at least England had a go.

At least the likes of Joe Worsley demonstrated why he has won 62 caps with a tough-tackling performance against men as teak-hard as they come.

At least George Chuter and Simon Shaw and Nick Easter showed that they are mobile forwards capable of getting to A to B and most other letters of the alphabet on a rugby field.

At least Ashton had the sense to return Mark Cueto to his specialist position on the wing rather than indulge his fantasy that he is an international fullback.

But it has to be said the main reason for England's improved form was Wilkinson.

Time and time again he turned around and drove back the blue shirts of Samoa with his territorial kicking.

Time and again he slotted over penalties and conversions and two drop goals in the same precision fashion we became accustomed to before he became England's most famous member of BUPA.

But let's hear it for the Samoans.

They were magnificent. Stung by their first defeat against Tonga in seven years last week they were playing for more than World Cup points.

They were playing for pride - and there is no more dangerous Samoan than one hunting that commodity.

They could easily have been demoralised when the scoreboard was ticking in England's favour within 85 seconds after Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu's kick was charged down by Simon Shaw.

True, England made a meal of actually getting over the Samoa line but Corry eventually did sowith a couple of JCBs in white shirts lending him weight.

An England try. Hallelujah. Of late they have been as rare as deposits in Northern Rock.

But even when the scoreboard was ticking against them the Samoans still regularly sprung holes in England's defence with human battering rams such as Henry Tuilagi and Semo Sititi.

If only the south sea islanders had the discipline. If only they did not give away the silliest of penalties for handling in the ruck and not staying on their feet then England would be all but out of the World Cup even now.

True, Paul Sackey was put through by Wilkinson's creative kick and that surely should have been the sign for England to pull away.

Corry and Sackey then both went over for second tries to give England a precious bonus point and lend the scoreline a somewhat skewed slant.

England remain a side without natural instinct or confidence and in truth in the end at times they were clinging on desperately.

But they won and scored four tries while Samoa smiled graciously, executed a final Haka and departed this World Cup.

There is much work still to do if England are not to follow them.