England head coach Clive Woodward has revealed that, in his opinion, the Rugby World Cup 2003 final at Telstra Stadium in Sydney on Saturday will be contested by the "best two teams" in the Tournament.
Woodward, whose side set up a repeat of the 1991 final with Australia by convincingly beating France 24-7 last night, also believes he has the best England team ever and is "very confident" of becoming the first Northern hemisphere nation to lift the Webb Ellis Cup.
"Australia are going to have to play very well to beat us, which they are capable of doing," Woodward said in a press conference at the England hotel in Manly. "I am going into this game very confident.
"I think the best two teams in the World Cup have got to the final."
Woodward, who has been at the England helm since 1997 and signed a new four year contract before the Tournament, added: "We have got huge respect for [George] Smith and [Phil] Waugh, but I have got huge respect for [Neil] Back and [Richard] Hill.
"Again it is a great match up on the weekend.
Brains and experience
"The strength of the England team is that we can play in a whole variety of ways. I believe this group of players is the most talented England has ever had.
"There is a lot of brains out there and experience. I have not seen them [the England players] panic ever in the last few years."
England have been criticised in some quarters for a perceived boring style of play, having been out scored in the try department by both Wales and France in the knockout phases.
Woodward though had the perfect response when asked about this boring style compared to New Zealand's expansive game: "We [England] are still here, they [New Zealand] are not."