Twickenham...the mere name evokes a quickening of the heartbeat for travelling supporters and those who follow the Red Rose of England ahead of a big Test match, as English rugby remains the epicentre of the international game in the northern hemisphere.

Yet despite more than a century of achievement, most notably in the Five/Six Nations tournament, it is the events of 2003 which remain etched in the memory.

Since the inception of the Rugby World Cup in 1987, England learned quickly from mistakes made in that first tournament and progressed all the way to the final four years later when they were favoured to overcome Australia at Twickenham.

That they failed was down to the fact that they abandoned the cautious approach that had served them so well and were outfoxed by their wily opponents much to the chagrin of the home support.

In 1995 they fell at the semi-final hurdle as New Zealand, and Jonah Lomu in particular, ground them into submission.

Four years later it was more disappointment, this time the Springbok fly-half Jannie De Beer booting five drop-goals as England exited the tournament at the quarter-final stage.

Coach Clive Woodward vowed that England would return fully equipped and raring to go for the 2003 tournament in Australia and both he and his players, admirably led by then-captain and now England manager Martin Johnson, got it spot on.

England swept all before them Down Under to make it to the final against the hosts. It proved a thrilling affair, ultimately settled in extra-time by Jonny Wilkinson's drop-goal, the naturally left-footed fly-half booting the winning points with his right foot.

In 2007 England, as defending champions, struggled in the pool stages which saw them on the receiving end of a 36-0 mauling from South Africa, but they regrouped to beat Australia and France in the knockout stages to once again reach the final, where they found themselves up against the Springboks once more.

They may have lost the match, but it was a remarkable transformation in fortunes and had Mark Cueto's "try" been allowed by the video match official, the outcome could easily have been entirely different.

Since that tournament England have struggled, but Johnson is slowly turning things around and a strong finish to the 2009 Six Nations suggests the Red Rose is ready to bloom once more.