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Do not underestimate Wilkinson coming back into the team, it has changed everything. Not only attacking wise, but defensively too. Against South Africa we were shocking.

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The Rugby Club sat down with Sir Clive Woodward and Eddie Jones to talk about the World Cup final.

Woodward and Jones certainly enjoyed their jousting when they were coaching England and Australia respectively, however being the best of enemies certainly gave them both a grudging respect for each other.

Times have certainly changed since they last locked horns in the 2003 World Cup Final and we all know what happened there.

Since then Woodward went down on one knee and arose a Sir, gave two fingers to the RFU and is concentrating on England's Olympic hopes.

Jones went on to lose his job as Wallaby coach, but faces England once more in a World Cup final - this time with the Springboks.

Against the odds England have made the final having turned around a 36-0 thrashing from South Africa in the pool stages.

"I was at the South Africa game and saw them lose 36-0 and to play so poorly, you could not actually imagine that night that they would be in the final," said Woodward.

'It was just astonishing, the turnaround has been amazing and all credit to them.

"To make a World Cup final is amazing no matter how you get there, it is fantastic.

"The next step is to win it, if they can just keep this will and determination going; they have every chance of performing a really big upset at this World Cup."

Eddie Jones believes that the England South Africa beat that day and the one they will face in the final is totally different.

"I think they always had talent and have a good core of experienced players," said Jones.

"What they have done is just use their resources well. They have regrouped and obviously Jonny Wilkinson coming back at 10 makes a hell of a difference."

The run up to Woodward's triumphant class of 2003 and the class of 2007 have been miles apart. Where Woodward had the team for seven years and took them to Australia as favourites, Brian Ashton has had a team lacking any form for only eight months.

"I think it is Brian's personality and the personality of the experienced players coming through," explained Woodward.

"Eleven of the starting 15 were there four years ago. They experienced the whole thing and also because of club rugby in this country, they know how to win these knock-out games.

"Do not underestimate Wilkinson coming back into the team, it has changed everything. Not only attacking wise, but defensively too. Against South Africa we were shocking."

While the majority of the press have been hailing Wilkinson's performances, Jones believes that the golden boy of England rugby is not quite back to his best.

"It is more about the battle upfront that will put him (Wilkinson) in positions to score points," said Jones.

"Whilst I said he was not as good as he was in 2003, the structure around him in 2003 was very good. He had Greenwood there who is an outstanding communicator on the field.

"Wilkinson has probably been a little unsettled by having a number of inside centres.

"He is still a very good player, but the battle is going to be up front not to give him field position and not give him too may opportunities to turn that field position into points."

As far as South Africa's tactics go, well Jones is not prepared to give too much away.

"In a lot of ways we have not played that much," explained Jones.

"Against Argentina I think we played one play and then we just played off the back of them.

"In the last game against England we did exactly the same. It will be interesting to see how the game evolves.

"We think we have got a game we can play a number of different ways depending on the circumstances and how the ref referees the tackle.

"We have a flexible approach. While we took something out of that 36-0 game, it is a World Cup final and all about performing on the day."

As for England's tactic, well you know exactly what to expect, and if they do it -- well it could just be something straight out of a boys' annual.

"It is pretty clear what England will do," said Woodward. "They will play to the strengths of the team. It may sound patently obvious, but it is about winning and not about being pretty.

"If England win it is more of a Boys' Own story, this is Alf Tupper stuff."