They’re the big underdogs heading into the game in Paris tonight, but England’s rugby players have become used to being written off lately.
Their form heading into the tournament in France was woeful, and yet they’re the only unbeaten side left in the semi-finals.
Now they face a South Africa team that’s proved to be their nemesis at several other World Cups.
The prospect of trying to beat South Africa and set up another shot at glory – their fifth final – will give England fans with long – and short – memories, nightmares.
The Springboks have ended England’s chances in two World Cup finals – in 2007 and 2019 – as well as one quarter-final and a group game.
They’re the reigning world champions, the world’s number one team, and they’ve just dumped out the highly fancied home nation in an epic quarter-final, while England struggled past Fiji, who are ranked 10th.
England head coach Steve Borthwick before the quarter-final against Fiji
England’s only success against them in the biggest tournament in the sport came in a 2003 pool match, when Sir Clive Woodward’s eventual winners triumphed 25-6 in Perth.
But it’s the 2019 game that many will focus on this weekend, not least because a total of 28 players across the two squads are survivors of that match in Yokohama, won 32-12 by the Africans.
In that game, a far stronger, more talented and in-form England than the current group, were outmuscled by the Springboks, whose forward dominance caused mayhem at the scrum and lineout.
Four years on, South Africa’s strength is again in the pack and, this year, in their tactical use of their bench – dubbed the “Bomb Squad”.
Their thrilling 29-28 quarter-final win over France showed their wings are a match for any team.
England’s Jonny Wilkinson (C) downcast after being beaten by South Africa in the 2007 Rugby World Cup final
England captain, Owen Farrell, one of those who played in the Yokohama defeat, said, simply, “it was a long time ago”.
We’ve played each other a good few times since and we’re looking at what we can do going into Saturday,” he said,
“This feels like a new challenge… a new opportunity. In four years, a lot happens in rugby, a lot happens in a week here. We feel like we’ve obviously changed as a team. I imagine South Africa feel like they’ve changed over four years as well.”
England coach Steve Borthwick is a divisive figure for some, fostering a classic sporting siege mentality while in France, defying critics of his team’s sometimes uninspiring style.
Borthwick said he’d heard “tens of thousands of people are coming across [from England]” for the game and talked of a “special feeling” in the French capital ahead of the match.
He said he hoped his team would “put in a performance all their supporters are proud of”.
Another South Africa defeat for England – in the 2019 Rugby World Cup final
That could be a tall order as, while he praised their contribution to England’s success so far, others aren’t so sure fans have been impressed by his work since replacing Eddie Jones in December.
Against Argentina, in their opening match of the tournament, there was raucous support for their 14-man victory, but there were also 6,000 empty seats for their quarter-final win over Fiji.
England’s last match before heading to France was a first-ever defeat to the Islanders, part of a pre-tournament run of five defeats in six games.
For that match, Twickenham’s top tier was kept shut due to sluggish ticket sales.
Manu Tuilagi scores England’s opening try against Fiji. Pic: AP
Borthwick identified reconnecting his side with supporters, who had grown tired of Eddie Jones’s approach, as one of his first major tasks when appointed.
Whatever the truth of the matter, one thing’s for certain – anyone wearing red and white will be thrilled if his team gains revenge for years of hurt and emerges victorious at the Stade de France.
