The flak is certainly flying. Traditionally, the verbal battle between England and Australia has had a humorous edge, but six days before their quarter- final in Marseilles, it has turned so distinctly unpleasant that it would be astonishing if the World Cup organisers sit back and allow it to continue.

It was less than a week ago that John O’Neill, the chief executive of the Australian Rugby Union, was quoted all over the rugby world for his view that, in Australian sport, “we all hate England”. This was excused in some Australian quarters as a quip that read badly on the page.

However, perhaps stung by the replies in British newspaper columns by Josh Lewsey and Austin Healey, O’Neill has come back even harder and it may be that the IRB deems him to have fallen foul of its code of conduct. “I stand by what I said,” O’Neill told The Daily Telegraph in Australia. “Whether it’s cricket, rugby league or rugby union, we do all hate England. All I’m doing is stating the bleeding obvious.

“No one likes England. If they want further proof, how do they think France won the right to host this World Cup? It’s simple. No one would vote for England and they were the only other country in the running. The only votes England could be assured of back then were their own. Sadly, this is all a by-product of their born-to-rule mentality. It’s been there for a long time now and nothing has changed.”

The IRB must now decide whether to let such comment pass. There is a code of conduct for administrators as well as players. O’Neill’s earlier remarks were discussed by tournament organisers last week and dismissed, but this second, more offensive barrage may not be taken so lightly.

“We had a look at the comments last week and took them on their merits,” Greg Thomas, the IRB head of communications, said yesterday. “We’re not going to be overzealous. But we have a code of conduct which we expect all unions to abide by at all times. We value what rugby stands for.”

While the tone of O’Neill’s words are indisputably offensive, they are a world away from the sledging that David Campese made his stock-in-trade. The legendary former Australia wing has not stopped, of course, and though his offering yesterday had a broken-down-record element to it, it was light relief by comparison.

“How boring was that?” was Campese’s opening gambit on England’s performance against Tonga. “It would be the worst thing for rugby, the worst thing for sport in general, if the Wallabies don’t beat England next week. It would be devastating.

“People were saying all those years ago that the game would be doomed if England won the World Cup through their forwards and a kicking five-eighth. Unfortunately, that’s where they’ve gone back to in this tournament. What about when they’re 20 points up and Wilkinson goes for a dropped goal? That’s just pathetic.”

It does not stop there. The following view of the England team — or 14 of the England team — was carefully delivered by Lote Tuqiri, the Wallaby wing, with particular use of tense. Jason Robinson, Tuqiri said, “is probably their main attacking weapon and probably — and I don’t like to say it — but probably the only world-class back that they have playing in form at the moment, or was playing in form.” Knowing perfectly well how this would motivate the England dressing-room, he added: “There’s your ammo, boys.”

If, back in Australia, they were unaware that a World Cup was taking place, they will know now. The country has just been immersed in the biggest weekend in its sporting calendar, in which the Grand Finals in Australian Rules (winners: Geelong Cats) and the NRL (Melbourne Storm) figured large, and Australia v Canada here in France did not. If O’Neill has done nothing else, he has drawn attention in the direction of Europe.

The irony is that the majority of the Wallabies have gone out of their way to send sweet nothings to their English adversaries. John Connolly, the coach, even said that Australia would rather be playing South Africa in the last eight. “We’re more comfortable against South Africa than England because we know them better,” he said.

The be-nice-to-England approach was echoed by Stirling Mortlock, the fit-again captain, who said: “I wouldn’t say it’s hatred, I would say a great rivalry.” The impression that this was the party line was reinforced after their game against Canada, when Stephen Larkham, the injured fly half, was asked about “hating” England. He hesitated and was helped out by a press officer with the words: “We have a great rivalry, but no hatred.”

According to their chief executive, the very opposite is true.