Dan Hipkiss has put to one side his personal disappointment at missing out on a place in England's World Cup final starting line-up.

The Leicester centre vowed to do everything he can to help England prepare for South Africa on Saturday - and that is likely to mean replicating Springboks centre Jaque Fourie in training.

Hipkiss made a positive impact off the bench in England's semi-final win over France and had been in the running for a start at outside-centre after Josh Lewsey was ruled out of the final with a hamstring strain.

But head coach Brian Ashton decided to include a like-for-like wing replacement in Mark Cueto, instead of shifting Mathew Tait from centre and bringing Hipkiss into the team.

Ashton said: "As with every week, we discuss every position - and it was a pretty close call.

"It was the fact Mark has played a lot of international rugby in the back three, and we expect a fair old aerial bombardment on Saturday."

Hipkiss was disappointed but insisted: "I'm beyond feeling sorry for myself. I've put it to one side.

"It's not about me, it's about getting the performance on Saturday. I will try as hard as possible to get the team right.

"Everyone is going to be disappointed if they are not involved, especially guys outside the 22.

"It's tough for Josh (Lewsey). He'd played every minute so far in the tournament until he was injured and I am sure he would have started on Saturday."

Hipkiss did not appreciate being described as an effective "impact sub" - too many players have been weighed down by that label and he is not prepared to be one of them.

"I don't want to talk about myself as an impact sub. If anyone is sitting on the bench you want to make an impact, but a good player is a good player," he said.

Cueto, meanwhile, is determined to take out months of frustration on the Springboks.

He had feared his ambitions of making a major impact on the World Cup had been shredded, after losing his place in the side just as England began winning.

Cueto will make his fourth start of the World Cup but his first since the pool victory over Tonga almost three weeks ago - when he picked up a niggling hamstring injury.

"It has been a frustrating time for me in general," he said.

"I feel I have a lot to prove. The World Cup hasn't gone exactly how I would have liked it to, personally.

"To be in a final is exceptional for the side, but I feel I have a point to prove to myself and to everyone. To get the opportunity to do that in a final is a special chance.

"It was getting to me that I could finish this World Cup having not shown people what I can do on the biggest stage.

"I played in three of the four pool games, and it wasn't until the knockout stage that we showed the character and the ability of what we have got within the squad."

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