Memories of 2003

After an honourable defeat to the All Blacks last weekend, Martin Johnson inspired England to one of the best England performances in recent memory, and Paul Hayward in the Observer believes England are on the road to becoming a world-beating force once again.

Just after 3.30pm on a thrilling afternoon, England faced their most important 40 minutes since the 2007 World Cup final, or even the great triumph of four years earlier in Sydney. They had led 16-6 at the break and this was their moment to cease being a dull work in progress and assume a fresh identity as a team capable of electrifying Twickenham.

Rare indeed it is for a side to reach such an easily identifiable crossroads. A collapse against these Wallabies would have sent English rugby back under the duvet for a generation. But a continuation of the spirit and audacity of their first-half performance would re-establish Martin Johnson's perkily rebuilt side as a global force again.

The answer was profound and exhilarating. Six minutes into the half they forced a turnover near their own goalline. Ben Youngs, a real star in the making at scrum-half, side-stepped his way out of defence and flicked it to Courtney Lawes, who then off-loaded it to Chris Ashton, who had 90 metres of turf ahead of him.

Off he set, pumping and snorting along Australia's left before swerving inside and ignoring the support outside to touch down under the posts. With Toby Flood's conversion, England led 26-6 and mediocrity's stone had lifted. Back came the songs; in from the wilderness came England's 2011 World Cup prospects. Most of all, coming to HQ had ceased to feel like an expensive duty, an eternal waiting game, and started to seem like fun again.

From his Sky commentary box, Stuart Barnes called it English rugby's finest result since the 2003 final in Australia. That win, magnificent in all respects, will be remembered as the last flourish of a side that took four years to mature. This 35-18 victory should be the first day of a new age. England obliterated an Australia side that had beaten the All Blacks 14 days ago, not with a desperate swing of Jonny Wilkinson's boot but a sparkling array of attacking talent, who galloped, dodged, passed and surged their way to a win that might have caused them to be mistaken for a Tri-Nations side.

There had been flashes of promise, glimpses of intent, in the previous week's 26-16 defeat to New Zealand, but this was a gift and revelation to the Twickenham supporters, who had wondered whether England's ship would ever come in. On packed trains and crammed roads, the hardcore have struggled their way to the annual autumn vigil. Those who stayed away from the second of these autumn internationals through ennui missed a rebirth.

England presented their weary followers with a long list of things they will have to stop saying in the bar and clubhouse. If he repeats this rampant display, Mike Tindall can no longer be dismissed as a midfield banger devoid of creativity; Johnson can no longer be caricatured as a refugee from a dead age of forward power; and their southern hemisphere critics have been stripped of the right to point out that ball skills are alien to the English tradition.

All this in one game? Not entirely, because the first glimmer of transformation had been seen in Sydney in June, when England won by a single point, and another here last week against New Zealand. Like a grumpy grandad forced to accept the internet, England have shifted from attrition to artistry. The game has changed and they were obliged to change with it or perish on the margins. But nobody could have expected the new faces to drive the reforms so fast.

Youngs, 21, was resplendent in the No9 shirt before limping off to be replaced by Danny Care. A sharp, incisive passer, Care was also lethal in his downfield thrusts. Lawes, also 21, came through his rumble against the All Blacks with confidence and authority. So often the recruit looks just to hang on in his first few outings. Youngs, Lawes, Shontayne Hape, Dan Cole, Ben Foden and Ashton all imposed their characters on this Test. All the talk of Australia's brilliant baby-faced assassins was muffled by the exploits of young Englishmen who are responding to Johnson's insistence that they "think like Test players every day" and not just 15 times a year.

With a core of elders – Lewis Moody, Tindall, Mark Cueto, Nick Easter, Tom Palmer – and a wedge of mid-twentysomethings – Tom Croft, Toby Flood – Johnson has found the right mix of ages to facilitate the shift to a more expansive style. The old conservative arm lock has been broken. Johnson makes an unlikely liberator, but earns high praise for recognising that England needed to evolve beyond caveman power.

"If we played them again tomorrow, would the same thing happen? Who knows," Johnson said, applying caution. "You have to be ready to play like that at 2.30 every week."

After Samoa next week comes a chance to extend the exultation, against South Africa. We are not yet in the realm of England's 22 consecutive home victories between 1999 and March 2004 but for 80 minutes Twickenham was unrecognisable from the great slump of the past few years. This team had energy, purpose and conviction.