Warren Gatland Rugby Analyst: The rugby might not have been aesthetically pleasing but England won't care one whit ahead of tonight's World Cup final. Given the starting point, theirs has been a remarkable journey.

They are 80 minutes away from retaining the title they won in Sydney four years ago. Six weeks ago any suggestion England would make the final would have been laughed at, and that derision would have been endorsed by their poor performances against the USA and tonight's opponents, South Africa.

In the latter pool match the English were spanked 36-0, a result that will be a galvanising factor for Brian Ashton's men.

England have come through two pressure-laden knock-out matches in which they beat two of the top five teams in the world. As a confidence fillip heading into this match, it's massive.

It does not matter about the style, or perhaps more appositely, the lack of style associated with their progress. They are not as one-dimensional as some pundits claim and have broadened their attacking gambits. It is fair to say though they won't bamboozle too many with their backline variations.

England will try to exploit their primary asset - experience: several, including some on the bench, have been there, done it and, literally, got the T-shirt. Their voices will be important and if the match remains close coming into the final quarter, that influence could be pivotal to the outcome.

The English won't fear the Springboks, nor will they be cowed by them physically, which is an important issue when squaring up to South Africa.

One interesting aside was the point made by Eddie Jones, South Africa's Australian adviser, who pointed out the two finalists in the Super 14 competition came from South Africa while England provided both teams in the Heineken European Cup final. Knock-out rugby demands a strong mindset and a willingness to do whatever it takes to win. It's not about looking good or being entertaining.

I'm expecting a really good battle, particularly up front.

England have improved from a poor start to the tournament while South Africa haven't been tested - except briefly by Fiji. The Boks know they should win and it'll be hard for them to introduce that fear element that when correctly marshalled provides a huge stimulus in terms of performance.

They'll focus on the scrum, an area where I expect England to have a slight edge, and also their defence of the maul. Argentina gave South Africa a rough ride in the scrums, and when the Pumas managed to be composed and precise they occasionally mauled the ball 20 metres plus. England will have noted this and it represents a facet of the game in which they are strong.

South Africa have the best lineout in world rugby and a formidable maul of their own. Sometimes a team that's very strong in one area doesn't expect opponents to compete aggressively there and that's why I think the Boks have neglected working on defending a rolling maul.

Victor Matfield is their totem out of touch and if he rules the air England will be in trouble.

England need to guarantee a platform and either look to maul the ball in search of penalties or territory or let Jonny Wilkinson kick them into position. The backrows on both teams are very effective counter-ruckers, guaranteeing the breakdown will be keenly contested.

Lewis Moody's form has improved as the tournament has gone on and he's been handed the starting role. Martin Corry reminds me of Anthony Foley in terms of being a good, honest grafter.

The battle at halfback pits arguably the two best scrumhalves in the tournament against each other. For me, Fourie du Preez has been the best halfback so far. He excels in all aspects of the game - running, passing, kicking, defending and tackling.

Andy Gomarsall has offered England a cool, experienced head and is a good decision-maker in a key position. He has the best pass in the English game and his box-kicking is excellent.

The Springboks have a little bit more firepower in the three-quarter line, while England possess the in-form fullback in Jason Robinson.

In Jonny Wilkinson and Percy Montgomery, the respective teams boast players whose accuracy with the placed ball is unquestioned.

England have improved by probably 60 per cent since the last time the sides met. They'll need to start quickly, keep things tight on the scoreboard and look to ratchet up the pressure on the favourites as the match reaches a conclusion.

South Africa are the better team and I think they'll win but only after a tight, tense contest, and I would support England to finish comfortably inside the nine-point handicap.

The key to their ambition is to keep this game close and if they manage that they're certainly capable of holding their nerve.

South Africa though have already proved themselves to be the best front-runners in the tournament, and I think they'll be good enough on the day to claim a second crown.