England will be tough task, insists White

Since storming to a 36- 0 victory over the reigning champions a month ago, the Springboks have watched Brian Ashton's side recover their stride and gradually prosper.

Having seen Australia and France fall on successive weekends, Jake White and his men are not taking anything for granted, especially with a certain fit-again drop-goal specialist going through his old repertoire.

Last night, despite securing a convincing win over Argentina, the South Africans were universally cautious.

"The one thing about England is that they always play with a lot of character," said White. "It will be a whole different ball game on Saturday.

"I think it will be tough. They have a lot of players who were there in 2003, so that's an advantage at the final.

"It (the pool stage win) counts for nothing when you play in a World Cup Final. France have been dominated by New Zealand in recent times and ended up beating them here in the quarter-final."

Captain John Smit insisted that Phil Vickery and Co have earned their place in the final, adding: "England have played some good World Cup rugby and that's why they're there."

Percy Montgomery, whose kicking was such a crucial component of South Africa's success against the Pumas, said: "England played a great game against France.

"Jonny being back and some of their other senior players means they are a completely different team to the one we played before.

"They have got a few World Cup winners in the team which gives them composure, so it will be a big challenge for us. It's going to be a really physical battle."

A brutal collision up front is anticipated and centre Francois Steyn said: "They have a big pack so we will have to be very physical up front to match them.

"They also have Jonny back now which gives them more promise, so we will just see how it goes next weekend. The ball can bounce either way."

And tough lock forward Bakkies Botha added: "No team gets to a World Cup Final without a good reason so it is going to be tough for us this weekend. I am looking forward to it. We're confident but England have pulled it around to beat Australia and France. Jonny will get them playing on the front foot but we'll be ready."

To think that England will go into Saturday's final with a spring in their step is scarcely believable given the scale of their humiliation in the pool stage.

Every sporting indignity was inflicted upon Ashton's sorry side, whose preparations for the game had been disrupted by the loss to injury of Wilkinson and Olly Barkley.

Shorn of their leading playmakers, they were slaughtered. At the end, disgruntled supporters booed them off. All of it happened at the same Stade de France where England will square up to South Africa on Saturday with the Webb Ellis Trophy in touching distance.

It happened a month ago, yet it feels like a different lifetime.