England will complete arguably the greatest comeback in British sporting history if they beat South Africa and retain the World Cup on Saturday night.

No country has ever won successive Rugby World Cup tournaments, with England facing South Africa just 36 days after the Springboks smashed them 36-0 in a pool game.

England field nine survivors from their starting line-up on that occasion.

PA Sport rugby union correspondent Andrew Baldock looks at five key areas England must get right in their quest to avenge that defeat and be crowned world champions once again.

THE SCRUM

England demolished quarter-final opponents Australia up front, with props Andrew Sheridan and Phil Vickery destroying their respective opposite numbers Guy Shepherdson and Matt Dunning.

Although the Wallabies had powder-puff forwards, England - with the same front-row of Sheridan, Mark Regan and Vickery - then more than held their own against host nation France.

Despite losing last Sunday's semi-final to South Africa, Argentina showed there are fault lines in the Springboks' scrum, and England will aim to cause a few tremors.

THE BREAKDOWN

The breakdown is perhaps an area where England have transformed themselves more than any other from the tournament's early stages.

They were clueless during the first South Africa game, committing far too many players, but some straight talking and hard training has sorted it out and England are now much more ruthless and direct.

It will be a ferocious element of the final, especially given the presence of hard-hitting Springboks forwards like Schalk Burger, Bakkies Botha and Juan Smith, but England will not flinch.

KICKING GAME

The one thing England cannot do is employ an inaccurate kicking game against South Africa, given the presence of lethal broken-field runners such as Bryan Habana, JP Pietersen and Fourie du Preez.

Kicking the ball down the Springboks' throats would be akin to committing rugby suicide, but the tactical work of fly-half Jonny Wilkinson and centre Mike Catt was so impressive against France that England are unlikely to panic.

And although much has been made of Wilkinson's reduced success-rate at the posts in this tournament, he has still amassed 61 of England's 106 points during the four World Cup games he has played.

DEFENCE

Since the Springboks shambles last month, England have considerably tightened their defence, knowing that if they had not, then an early flight home would have beckoned.

South Africa ran rings around them last time out, and should have scored a lot more than the three tries they registered, but England have now only conceded four touchdowns in four games under defence coach Mike Ford's tutelage.

Habana and company will ask serious questions of the defence, yet if England show the same courage and organisation that has highlighted recent performances, then South Africa will find it difficult to break them down.

DISCIPLINE

England's 2003 World Cup-winning mastermind Sir Clive Woodward used to insist his team's penalty count over the course of 80 minutes never exceeded single figures, and that is the target Brian Ashton's side must aim for this weekend.

It will be difficult in the intense heat of battle, but England must not concede needless scoring or territorial opportunities to South Africa, especially as Springboks full-back Percy Montgomery is the tournament's top points scorer.

Cool heads are the order of the day, or a hefty price could be paid.

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