PARIS (Reuters):An extraordinary tournament ends with the most unlikely of finals today when holders England somehow find themselves again facing the South Africa team who humiliated them 36-0 five long weeks ago.
England are one win away from becoming the first team to retain the World Cup and the first to lift it after losing a match en route.
The holders have momentum, renewed belief, vast experience, wonderful defence and a fantastically stubborn refusal to be beaten that has seen them come from behind in three of their last four, effectively knockout games.
Conversely, South Africa have had a relative cruise to their first final since they won on home soil at the first attempt 12 years ago. They have undoubted class and power in every department but, while England really do have nothing to lose after coming back from the dead, if the Springboks were to return home with runners-up medals, they would be considered abject failures.
Upon those contrasting mindsets will the final probably be decided, because if this World Cup has shown one thing, it is that previous results count for nothing.
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The teams should certainly know each others' games as this will be their sixth meeting in less than a year. The last four have gone the way of the Springboks, including the September 14 shocker on the same Stade de France pitch.
Since then England's personnel have not changed enormously - nine of the starting team are in today's XV- but in terms of attitude, belief and cohesion they are light years away.
"We are playing better, the players are much closer together, we've moved on massively," said coach Brian Ashton.
England have enormous experience, including six starters who tasted glory in the 2003 final, and in Jonny Wilkinson, a talismanic flyhalf who ensures they remain a deadly threat even when forced to defend for long periods as they did against France in their semi-final.
South Africa coach Jake White recognises that advantage, but is more than satisfied with what his squad has to offer. He is also certain they will not suffer the paralysis of expectation that has ended the dreams of so many other favourites here.
"We've been working towards this for four years," said White, whose job was saved by the victory over England at Twickenham last November that ended a run of seven successive defeats against them. "We know exactly what we're going to do. The players have just got to use whatever they've learned along the way. If you've prepared properly, all other things are immaterial."
