England must have the game of their lives to see off Boks

I'D LOVE FOR BORTHWICK'S MEN TO MAKE IT, BUT IT'S AN NZ V SA FINAL FOR ME

OK England, it's time to put the big boy pants on! You will need to produce the game of your lives to get the better of South Africa and reach the World Cup final.

I hope Steve Borthwick's men upset the odds in Paris on Saturday night, but I have to admit I am fully expecting a Boks v All Blacks showdown for the the trophy next weekend.

These semi-finals will have some way to go to match what we witnessed in the last-eight matches.

We were all drunk on rugby last weekend - those quarter-finals were simply amazing.

You have to give credit to the players and to the coaches who prepare them for these matches. I was just gobsmacked by the standard of rugby played across the games.

All four were nip and tuck and won by very fine margins. I have to take my hats off to these guys - top athletes like these deserve all the plaudits they can get.

That passage of play from Ireland at the end of their defeat by New Zealand phase after phase of attacking rugby from players who were squeezing out the last drop of stamina after 80 brutal minutes was something to behold.

To play like that, mistake free, under the most intense pressure takes some doing. The discipline was phenomenal.

The skill-set in the sport nowadays is unbelievable. I was simply blown away.

And it shows young players just what they have to aspire to if they want to secure a place in their national side.