Four keys that can open the Boks and clear way to final

ENGLAND face one of rugby’s most daunting and difficult tasks o n Saturday, in attempting to dislodge South Africa for a place in the World Cup Final.

- Nick Purewal

Steve Borthwick’s men will need to neutralise the Springboks’ chief weapons to be in with a chance of semi-final victory in Paris. Here, we examine four keys to victory for the Red Rose men.

DOMINATE THE SET-PIECE, OR DENY THE CONTEST

France found a way to limit South Africa's brutal scrum threat on Sunday - by avoiding them altogether.

The hosts utilised their extra-long kicking game to help minimise the number of scrums, thereby stopping one of the Springboks' favourite routes to supremacy.

France's tactic so nearly came good, only for the Boks to edge through 29-28.

England could either look to follow suit and try to pin South Africa deep in their own territory with smart tactical kicking - or shrug their shoulders and meet the challenge head-on.

England's scrum has improved out of sight in the past 15 months, a process initiated by Richard Cockerill in the Six Nations.

New scrum coach Tom Harrison has taken that groundwork and carried it forward in the Borthwick era.

England are now viewed as stable and sensible scrummagers, who will hold firm in the engagement and wait patiently for a proper, legal contest.