England stayed on course for the World Cup quarter-finals when two tries each for Martin Corry and Paul Sackey helped them beat Samoa 44-22 on Saturday but they were made to fight every inch of the way in a titanic Pool A battle.

The world champions now face Tonga next week where the winner will play Australia in the quarter-finals, while Samoa, who have lost all three games, are out of contention.

England, far more purposeful and aggressive all over the pitch than in their first two games, started strongly with a try after two minutes but were pegged back by the goal kicking of Loki Crichton.

The teams hammered away at each other throughout a tense second half before England finally drew clear in the last 10 minutes.

"Our strength in the tackle was very good, we were a little bit leaky but the basics were there and when the scoreline was close, the way we defended.. I was delighted by that," England captain Corry told ITV.

"We have worked very hard on our attack and it's nice when that hard work does pay off."

The holders got a great start when Simon Shaw charged down Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu's first clearance kick of the match and Corry charged over in the second minute.

Jonny Wilkinson (pictured), making his first World Cup appearance since the 2003 final, converted then added a penalty as England banished the spectre of their 36-0 defeat by the Springboks and settled their nerves.

With Andy Gomarsall looking sharp at scrumhalf and Joe Worsley, number eight Nick Easter and hooker George Chuter thundering into the breakdowns, England were full of aggression.

Samoa, though, hit back with two penalties from fullback Crichton before another three pointer apiece took the score to 13-6.

England then produced their best passage of play in the whole tournament to earn their second try. The forwards made ground with a series of determined charges and Wilkinson chipped a deft kick into the left corner for wing Sackey to pounce.

The Samoans, though, refused to lie down and with Crichton and the mighty Tuilagi brothers Alesana and Henry counter-attacking from deep, snatched another penalty to keep in touch at halftime 23-12 down.

SAMOA FIGHTBACK

Two more penalties maintained the gap but Samoa opened it up with their first try as a poor Josh Lewsey clearance was run back by hooker Mahonri Schwalger and scrumhalf Junior Polu just beat Mathew Tait to the touch.

Crichton converted and when Wilkinson missed his second kickable penalty the Samoans sensed it could be their day.

That conviction grew after 61 minutes when England were saved by a last-ditch Lewsey save and were then forced to defend for their lives in a series of monumental collisions.

However, the champions kept their discipline and when Wilkinson finally landed a wobbly drop-goal in the 70th minute and slotted a 50-metre penalty two minutes later the match was decided.

Corry added his second try five minutes from time after good work by Sackey and the winger secured the bonus point with the fourth after a Wilkinson break in the final minute.

Reuters