England: "Genuine World Cup contenders" More pictures from Melbourne

The Sydney Morning Herald said England were "genuine World Cup candidates" after "bullying and beating the Wallabies in Melbourne last night".

The paper added: "Those in the southern hemisphere who have lampooned this England team for so long have to admit begrudgingly that this is a special side, and capable of becoming the first nation from the north to raise the World Cup in triumph.

"There were still doubts last week as the All Blacks were way off-colour when beaten 15-13 by England in Wellington.

"But those queries disappeared last night because Australia were on their game for most of the evening, and were overhauled by a far more capable and clever opposition, who added to the humiliation by scoring three tries to one."

England's forwards "bullied" the Australian pack

"Wallabies sink to historic loss" said Melbourne's Herald Sun.

"England had six 30-somethings in its side last night, but age has clearly not wearied them with back-to-back wins - on successive Saturdays Down Under - over the All Blacks and the Wallabies," the newspaper said.

"For Australia, it is back to square one.

"Without a scrum and lineout against quality sides, the Wallabies will struggle to retain their world crown."

Melbourne's The Sunday Age was also critical of the home side after the Wallabies lost to England for the first time at home.

"It has been some time since a Wallaby pack has been so conclusively and clinically fragmented and flicked aside," wrote the paper.