World Cup Final - Preview - Australia v England

Who will lift the Webb Ellis trophy?

For a team who, win or lose, are about to write their names large in history, the England squad and management appear to be remarkably relaxed in their approach to their winner-takes-all clash against host nation Australia in the Rugby World Cup Final on Saturday. We preview the action.

Happily wandering about the lobby of their beach-front hotel, or signing autographs for the adoring fans who have made the pilgrimage to the Northern Sydney resort of Manly in order to catch a glimpse of their heroes, England's players are betraying no sign of the normal tensions you might expect from sportsmen about to take part in such a massive showpiece occasion.

But that tone has been set from the top, with Clive Woodward espousing a 'business as usual' mantra during his pre-match utterances, the England coach determined that his charges do not dwell for a second on the huge importance and implications of Saturday night's game, but instead concentrate on just coming through another 80 minutes in their professional lives with more points on the scoreboard than their opponents.

"We have just to keep our feet firmly on the ground and take away the hype and treat it just like another game of rugby, not even against Australia, just fifteen on fifteen," said Woodward.

Of course, some 12 years ago, on the last occasion England found themselves in a World Cup Final - also against Australia - being sucked into the hype surrounding the event was their undoing.

Then, as now, England had progressed through through the tournament thanks in large part to their dominant forward pack and the excellent goal-kicking talents of their fly-half.

Having been pilloried in the press for their 'boring' tactics in the run-up to the Final - most notably by Wallaby maestro David Campese - England completely changed their gameplan on the day, throwing caution to the wind and playing a free-flowing style that all but handed victory to Australia.

Johnson and co. will not make a similar mistake this time around. The Australian media can make as many jibes and cat-calls as they like about England being dull (and believe me, entire forestfuls of newsprint are being churned out on a daily basis with that very message), but this team is not for turning.

They will stick to the proven formula - gaining territorial dominance, putting pressure on in the set-piece and then moving play into areas where Jonny Wilkinson's boot can do some damage, either through penalty kicks or drop-goals.

While they would dearly love to score some tries in their last outing of the tournament, that goal comes a distant second to their main aim of putting more points on the scoreboard by the end of the match.

Tries against Australia have been quite a rarity in RWC 2003 anyway, the Wallabies boasting the best defensive record of the tournament, the Men in Gold conceding a single try against the enterprising All Blacks last week in that pulsating semi-final victory.

It was a shock win (except, perhaps, for coach Eddie Jones and the Wallabies themselves) and demonstrated that on the big match occasion, Australia were far from the ramshackle outfit portrayed in the Aussie media.

With Eddie Jones' coaching regime now vindicated and the last 12 months of pretty mediocre play forgotten, the entire nation has mobilised behind their team for this clash.

For a measure of how this sports-mad nation is getting behind its heroes, at 5pm on Saturday, some three hours before kick-off, every radio station in the land will play Australia's unofficial anthem, Waltzing Matilda, in unison in a quest to inspire the Wallabies to glory.

Add to that rugby chief John O'Neill's call for all Australians to wear gold clothes all week in support of their team, and it becomes fairly obvious that the Wallabies will not want for motivation - although they do lack the experience of their opponents.

"It will be a good challenge for the Australian crowd," said Jones. "There will be plenty of England supporters, plenty of white and red jumpers. It's a good challenge for the Australian crowd to get out there in gold and sing their songs.

"It was definitely a factor on Saturday night [for the semi-final] and a very positive factor. This is one of the biggest advantages we've got as the home country, crowd support."

Like Woodward, Jones is also concerned that his players do not feel the burden of history on their shoulders and can express themselves at the Telstra Stadium.

"We're living in confidence," said Jones on Thursday after the Wallabies flew into Sydney from their Coffs Harbour training base. "We don't have any fear.

"If we aren't good enough then we won't win the game. If we are good enough, we will win. There is no fear of failure here."

Brave words and you do get the feeling that the Wallabies will be forgiven by their supporters if they cannot finish the job on Saturday and succumb to what is after all a very streetwise English team.

But you never know what is going to happen to players when they are put under the harsh glare of the global spotlight in a showpiece event such as the World Cup Final. Some will thrive, some will falter, it's all part of the big occasion.

Just another game? You have got to be joking.

Players to watch:

For Australia: One of the outstanding attacking talents of this World Cup, Rugby League convert Lote Tuqiri has improved immeasurably in the 15-man code during the tournament, the former Bronco star's pace and elusive running angles unlocking the strongest of defences. Meanwhile, inside him at outside centre is Stirling Mortlock - unquestionably the chief architect of the shock win over New Zealand last weekend and a player who will test the mettle of England's midfield.

For England: It is highly fitting that one of the strongest forward packs ever assembled should have two strongarm merchants from Gloucester in England's West Country anchoring either side of the scrum. Props Phil Vickery and Trevor Woodman should provide plenty of English 'go-forward' in the set-piece and loose, while between them is hooker Steve Thompson, who inevitably gets England over the gainline with his trademark charges.

Head to head: George Smith (Australia) v Richard Hill (England): The showdown of the No.6s has aficionados of back row play positively salivating, promising as it does a battle of immense proportions. Smith is the dreadlocked glamour boy of the Wallaby back row, his relentless quest for loose ball and superb support play making him a key man for his country. Hill is the less flashy player who has been called the 'glue' of the England team for his astonishing work-rate around the field. When the going gets tough, Hill, now recovered from the hamstring injury sustained in England's tournament opener, is always there to secure ball, tidy up bad possession and put right his colleagues' mistakes.

Prediction: This is a devilishly hard call to make, particularly if Australia can once again raise the intensity of their game to the white-hot level demonstrated in the semi-final victory over New Zealand. But despite the fact that on Saturday England will find themselves tested as never before as the entire host nation gets behind the Wallabies, the Men in White still have to be favourites to edge themselves into a winning position to become the first northern hemisphere side to lift the Webb Ellis Cup.
Zurich Computer Prediction: England by 16 points.
Planet Rugby Prediction: England by three points.
SportingOdds.com Prediction: England by four points.

Recent Results:
In 2003: England won by 25-14 in Melbourne
In 2002: England won by 32-31 at Twickenham
In 2001: England won by 21-15 at Twickenham
In 2000: England won by 22-19 at Twickenham
In 1999: Australia won by 22-15 in Sydney
In 1998: Australia won by 12-11 at Twickenham

The teams:

Australia: 15 Mat Rogers, 14 Wendell Sailor, 13 Stirling Mortlock, 12 Elton Flatley (vice-captain), 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10 Stephen Larkham, 9 George Gregan (captain), 8 David Lyons, 7 Phil Waugh (vice-captain), 6 George Smith, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Justin Harrison, 3 Al Baxter, 2 Brendan Cannon, 1 Bill Young.
Replacements: 16 Jeremy Paul, 17 Matt Dunning, 18 David Giffin, 19 Matt Cockbain, 20 Chris Whitaker, 21 Matt Giteau, 22 Joe Roff.

England: 15 Josh Lewsey, 14 Jason Robinson, 13 Will Greenwood, 12 Mike Tindall, 11 Ben Cohen, 10 Jonny Wilkinson (vice-captain), 9 Matt Dawson, 8 Lawrence Dallaglio, 7 Neil Back, 6 Richard Hill, 5 Ben Kay, 4 Martin Johnson (captain), 3 Phil Vickery, 2 Steve Thompson, 1 Trevor Woodman.
Replacements: 16 Dorian West, 17 Jason Leonard, 18 Martin Corry, 19 Lewis Moody, 20 Kyran Bracken, 21 Mike Catt, 22 Iain Balshaw.

Kick-off: 20.00 local (09.00 GMT), Live in the UK on ITV1
Venue: Telstra Stadium, Sydney
Conditions: Max: 18°C, light rain
Referee: André Watson (South Africa)
Touch judges: Paddy O'Brien, Paul Honiss (both New Zealand)
TMO: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)

By Justin O'Regan in Sydney