Red-hot England's biggest fear could be the unknown as they continue march towards Old Trafford

Shaun Wane's side have looked like genuine World Cup contenders in every sense of the word – but they have yet to run into archnemesis Australia.

Can this group shrug off the mental baggage to outmuscle, outthink and outperform the Kangaroos on the biggest stage of all? That is the million-dollar question.

It is one thing swatting aside Papua New Guinea with nonchalant ease, it is another doing it to the 11-time world champions with limited time and space.

After all, the last time this country celebrated a win over the Kangaroos was under the guise of Great Britain in 2006.

England as a single nation have to go back to the opening match of the 1995 tournament for their last victory against Australia, some 14 games ago.

In each of the past four World Cups, England were put in their place by the Kangaroos in the group stage.

Before the class of 2022 can even think about Australia, they must negotiate an awkward semi-final showdown with a fired-up Samoa at the Emirates Stadium.

England will be taken to a place they have yet to go to in the tournament – but the same was said in the build-up to the quarter-final against PNG.

Neutrals expecting fireworks after promising signs from the hard-hitting Kumuls in the group stage were left sorely disappointed.

In front of the Princess of Wales, attending her first match since succeeding the Duke of Sussex as patron of the Rugby Football League, England produced a royal performance.

Wane's men made it look ludicrously easy in wretched conditions in Wigan.

England were virtually flawless in the opening half an hour as they pummelled Papua New Guinea into submission.

For what must have felt like an eternity, the Kumuls did not touch the ball, aside from Rhyse Martin who had the job of kicking it back to England.

Tommy Makinson stole the show with a record five tries but he owes a debt of gratitude to starting props Tom Burgess and Chris Hill, the unsung heroes of a demolition job.

Burgess, who is making a strong case for inclusion in the team of the tournament, punched holes in Papua New Guinea at will and made good defenders look like skittles.

Hill, not even on the radar at the start of the year, has become indispensable. His leg drive and ability to find his front helped lay the platform for England's try blitz.

The game was only five minutes old when the barrel-chested Burgess twisted his way over under the sticks.

Little over 20 minutes later, England were 38-0 up and playing with a swagger typically seen from a team in green and gold.

Makinson benefited from Sam Tomkins' vision to score his first and fellow winger Dom Young went over for his ninth try of the tournament courtesy of slick handling from George Williams’ cross-field kick.

Williams saw another high kick brilliantly claimed and touched down by Makinson before finishing off a scintillating move from deep himself.

Young showcased his strength to send Kallum Watkins over and Makinson grabbed a third after benefiting from a blunder by Alex Johnston.

Seven tries in no time at all and a message delivered to their World Cup rivals.

England appear to have every weapon in their arsenal: tough in the middle with the skill and footwork to keep defences guessing and genuine strike on the edges through two confident half-backs.

Makinson scored twice more either side of Jimmy Ngutlik's effort to break the England record for tries in a Test match but there was an element of the hosts taking their foot off the gas with one eye on Saturday.

Twenty-four hours on from cruising past PNG, England were sat with their feet up watching Samoa and Tonga go hell for leather in an old-fashioned slugfest in heavy conditions.

The Samoans were unrecognisable from the team that waved the white flag in their 60-6 defeat by England in the tournament opener as they built on big wins over Greece and France.

Underdone in that St James' Park clash with their NRL Grand Finalists still shaking off jet lag, Matt Parish's side demonstrated their power and athleticism in an impressive performance at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.

Samoa will be a completely different beast in the capital with fresh memories of their Newcastle humiliation.

England and Australia have been the best two teams so far but there are no guarantees they will meet in the final. New Zealand have a pack that could unsettle the Kangaroos, while the resurgent Samoans will be gunning for England in the second semi-final.

After two pulsating quarter-finals in Hull and Warrington, the delayed 2021 tournament is set for a thrilling conclusion.

Although Australia remain the overwhelming favourites to lift the trophy at Old Trafford on November 19, England may never get a better chance to win a World Cup on home soil.

If they can maintain their machine-like form and stay in control of their emotions, rugby league may just be coming home after all.