RUGBY: Six low-flying jets in tight formation arced past the front of the English team's base in Manly yesterday, which at least caused the throngs of English autograph hunters staring at the hotel to turn away briefly, writes Gerry Thornley in Sydney.
Opening the curtains in the morning, you suddenly appreciate how the eponymous "hero" in The Life Of Brian felt when at his morning stretch he found a crowd below acclaiming him the Messiah.
Presumably the Messiah-in-waiting is Clive Woodward. "Arise Sir Clive" may be but 80 minutes away if the old colonial empire ensnares its biggest sporting triumph since World Cup (soccer) 1966.
Not that he's allowing himself or his players to think for one moment beyond the full-time whistle.
And what was Clive saying at his midday conference inside? "The ramifications of winning or losing can wait." Destiny calls them? "I don't believe in destiny. I just believe in doing your work and winning." The occasional taunting continues outside, or across the road and beyond the pine trees by the beach, where locals might conduct a quick chorus of "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie" during their beach volleyball, though tip rugby is on the rise. The previous night there were amber-nectar-induced chants of "boring, boring", intended to interrupt England's beauty sleep.
"We're probably not the most beautiful team in the world anyway, but I hope the Australians play fair and give us a peaceful night. Last night I heard 'boring, boring, boring'," said Woodward, before quickly adding, "and it wasn't my wife in bed."
A win for England would be a significant boost for Six Nations rugby and, among many others, Eddie O'Sullivan and the Welsh manager Allan Phillips sent their best wishes yesterday.
Alas there was nothing as yet from the Scots. "I'm sure the Scottish message of support is on its way," said Woodward, tongue-in-cheek and in vintage, relaxed form while still exuding utter confidence.
"I understand they (the Scottish team) were singing The Marseillaise on the way home, which just about sums up their World Cup."
But it's the phenomenal support of their followers that has given England most help - the growing Barmy Army is reckoned to be almost 60,000 - and they'll need it. No country has been so successful in so many global sports as Australia. And be it the Wallabies, the Kangaroos (rugby league), the Davis Cup team (in the final a week hence), the cricketers, netballers, swimmers - they all feed off the others. This past fortnight, for example, Cathy Freeman, heroine of the Sydney Olympics, was on page one of all the papers, photographed with George Gregan or Wendell Sailor on a visit to Coffs Harbour.
And however much the Wallabies had earlier been bagged by pundits, the way their media rallied round before the semi-final was extraordinary. And of course, Pom-bashing is their favourite sport of all.
While not, in fairness, indulging in Pom-bashing, Eddie Jones has caught the rallying-call mood. "We've a young pack but they've got nothing to fear." Good, tub-thumping stuff. Go on, ya mugs!
The repetitive renditions of Waltzing Matilda and Swing Low might make you pine for the Eurovision Song Contest, but, if nothing else, this pairing undoubtedly ensured the greatest sense of occasion and atmosphere. Telstra Stadium will be a riot of gold and white. This magnificent 83,000-seater will throb to its foundations.
