England vs South Africa: Chance to deliver Rugby World Cup for the nation has Owen Farrell going ‘all in’

England will face South Africa with the chance to become world champions for only the second time in their history

Prince Harry, Pep Guardiola and the national cricket team led the good luck messages sent to England ahead of their date with destiny in the Rugby World Cup final.

England will face South Africa with the chance to become world champions for only the second time in their history, with Owen Farrell and his squad flooded by well-wishes ahead of what will be the biggest match of their careers.

The chance to write their name into rugby folklore will be played out in front of the Duke of Sussex, who has flown to Japan this week especially to watch the final as the patron of the Rugby Football Union.

“We’ve had a couple of messages,” said 23-year-old Sam Underhill, who will be winning only his 15th cap. “Prince Harry sent us a nice message of support, which was nice to receive. He showed us his little lad in an England shirt, which was a nice touch. But I’m still waiting on my personal message!”

Manchester City manager Guardiola also sent a good luck message to England coach Eddie Jones, with the Spaniard having been invited into the camp during the Australian’s four-year reign.

“All the best, good luck,” Guardiola said. “It’s an honour for England to be in the final. It’s an incredible event for England. All the best.”

The England cricket team has also past on their best messages, with the wicketkeeper passing on the team’s best from their tour of New Zealand to close friend Jamie George, who starts alongside Underhill.

But it’s not just the famous names and faces that have touched the squad this week. Thousands of England fans have descended on Tokyo and Yokohama this week, desperate for tickets and accommodation, and the squad are set to be given a raucous departure from the team hotel, before a sea of white welcomes the team bus to the International Stadium Yokohama for England’s first World Cup final in 16 years.

“I’d just like to say that the fans back home have been unbelievable for us,” said lock George Kruis. “We’ve felt the buzz from mates back home, texting and giving us a picture of what it is like, and I’d also like to thank the local clubs, which do an amazing job of getting us here, by starting us on the journey. Big appreciation to them.”

But the feeling of euphoria will only survive if England find a way past the a Springboks side who have suffocated and constricted their way past Japan and Wales to reach their third eve final, knowing they have never lost one.

It has been left to captain Farrell to deliver the last rallying call as the centre held his players’ meeting, knowing that on Saturday the 23 England players relied upon to return the Webb Ellis Cup to its home will be appearing in the game they once all dreamed about.

“Everybody wants to be involved in this game and there are probably a lot of people who grow up and want to be involved in this,” Farrell said. “Now this opportunity has come around, you want to enjoy it, you want to go for it, you don’t want to dip your toe in and see what happens, you want to throw all of yourself into it and that’s the way that we’ll look to go about it.

“We’ve got a good feel for how the group is. There are a lot of lads who have a good feel for where the group is and we’ll be open enough to feel what’s needed before the game. We’ll let that happen and hopefully prepare in a way that allows us to throw ourselves into it and be free.”

England face South Africa on Saturday (Getty)

The game caps England’s four-year rejuvenation since their pool-stage elimination in the 2015 World Cup, which has seen two Six Nations championships, one Grand Slam, a first series whitewash in Australia, a record-equalling run of 18 consecutive wins and after seven years a first victory over New Zealand.

For all of that, and even taking into account the slump in 2019 of five straight losses that triggered a revamp of the playing squad, huge credit has to go down to Jones for what he has done for English rugby, win or lose. So what are the secrets to his success with the red rose?

“It just comes with time,” he said. “You build bits and pieces. You go forward, you go backwards, forwards and backwards. It’s never a straight line. But we’ve been nicely building over four year-end this is our opportunity on Saturday to put it all together. One last chance.”