WORLD CUP 2007 SEMI FINAL
ENGLAND v FRANCE
13 October 2007 - Stade de France, St Denis - 21.00 local kick-off

Ironically, one of England’s most embarrassing losses, the 36-0 destruction at the hands of South Africa, could very well be responsible for England’s current position. Just three weeks ago, who would have thought that England would have a hope in hell of getting to the semi finals of the 2007 World Cup? Having been at the Stade de France the evening Fourie Du Preez and the rest of his Springbok team put us to the sword, I can’t remember a single England supporter I spoke to thinking that we would progress further than a very lucky quarter final spot, if that.

It’s amazing how things can turn around in just a few weeks as England hope to continue their impressive resurrection, this time against hosts France at the Stade de France in front of eighty thousand people. Having consistently improved week on week since the game against Samoa, England are now in the strange (yet familiar) position of contesting a place in the World Cup Final with France. The similarity with 2003 ends there however. Unlike Sir Clive Woodward’s men, this England team are far from proven, or settled. Brian Ashton has had the unexpected pleasure in naming an identical team to last week for the first time in his tenure as head coach; a strategy mirrored by French counterpart Bernarde Laporte.

Jason Robinson will be winning his 50th cap on Saturday

Although many England fans questioned Ashton’s decision to start gnarled veterans Phil Vickery, Mark Regan and Mike Catt against Australia, it soon proved to be a masterstroke on the head coach’s part. It is obvious that the pack will face a far tougher time this week than the whimper that Australia ended up offering however consistency in selection is key. There had been calls to select the more mobile George Chuter at hooker for his all round game, or Toby Flood to inject a bit of pace in the midfield but for the most part, not many can complain about playing the same team.

Andrew Sheridan’s outstanding game at the weekend has been talked about in a similar fashion to 2005, the last time he destroyed his opposite number so brutally but he’ll know that the French front row will be a completely different prospect. "Big Ted" will be up against South African-born Pieter de Villiers, a tight-head scrummager of some repute, but who has never faced Sheridan before.

"They will have tactics for taking Andrew on," said former England hooker Steve Thompson. "They won't try to go head to head against him and will get him on angles where he's not comfortable. Andrew is strong but not the most mobile, so they will twist him and take him out of his comfort zone."

England can expect a more aggressive form of defence from France than they encountered against Australia in Marseille. According to Wasps head coach Shaun Edwards, the Wallabies used a very passive sliding defence, whereas the French tend to "fly off their lines" quicker.

"Expect lots of little 'pick and goes' from England around the rucks," Edwards said. "We have some awesome ball-carriers with our props Andy Sheridan and Phil Vickery, and lock Simon Shaw.

One area that England have struggled in in the past has been at the breakdown, but to confound all critics the back row performed superbly for England against their Wallaby opposite numbers. However in Serge Betsen and Thierry Dusautoir they will face two players who are exceptional at stealing opposition ball if given even half a sniff of a chance. Again England will have to raise their game in order to stand any chance of competing.

Having realised that this match against France will be played under floodlight in the late Parisian evening, England have opted to put in some training sessions at night. Considering this is only Damien Traille’s second game at full back, exposing the Biarritz flyer’s temperament under the high ball might be a worthy tactic, considering the effects of playing under the spotlight, literally and figuratively. As well as this, putting relative newcomer to the international scene Lionel Beauxis, may be the way to go.

At 6ft 3in and 17 stone, cult hero Sebastien Chabal is France's human battering ram. Blessed with a lean physique (his body fat percentage is just 7.5), the 29-year-old Sale loose forward has strength in abundance. Chabal is sure to be used as an impact substitute at some stage in Paris and it’s vital that England bring him down early and stop him breaking the gain line and forming any sort of momentum for his team mates.

Frederik Michalak, who is also sure to surface from the bench at some point in the game will also need to be put under pressure. After his nightmare in Sydney four years ago, the mercurial fly half will want to put in a performance worthy of the French jersey and England will need to negate his ability to mix things up in the French gameplan, as he did so superbly against New Zealand last weekend.

It’s certainly not been four years for the faint-hearted England supporter, and many have agreed that the squad have performed far better than expected given recent history, however those words will mean nothing to the thirty players in the training camp. So it’s yet another ‘cup final’ for Brian Ashton’s men. England have got to perform for eighty minutes, as they did last week. Giving away two or three scores early in the game will be the end of their campaign. The backline has done very little so far to show that they can chase a game if England find themselves twenty points down. However given the fact that the travelling support has been anticipated to be huge, France’s home venue may prove to be a curse rather than a blessing, and the fact that Jonny Wilkinson believes he’s got his kicking under control... don’t write off something quite special happening at about 22:45 local time. If not, at least the Aussies or Kiwis won’t be laying their hands on the ultimate prize!

England: Robinson; Sackey, Tait, Catt, Lewsey; Wilkinson, Gomarsall; Sheridan, Regan, Vickery (capt), Shaw, Kay, Corry, Moody, Easter.
Replacements: Chuter, Stevens, Dallaglio, Worsley, Richards, Flood, Hipkiss.

France: Traille; Clerc, Marty, Jauzion, Heymans; Beauxis, Elissalde; Milloud, Ibanez (capt), De Villiers, Pelous, Thion, Betsen, Dusautoir, Bonnaire.
Replacements: Poux, Szarzewski, Chabal, Harinordoquy, Michalak, Dominici, Poitrenaud.

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)