RUGBY: The words "boring" and "England" are synonymous in the Australian media nowadays. There's nothing new here, writes Gerry Thornley in Sydney.

A similar war of propaganda before the 1991 final between the same teams in Twickenham had the effect of morally blackmailing England into playing a more expansive game which then coach Roger Uttley recently conceded was a source of much regret. It won't happen this time.

Boring? Up until this week Clive Woodward, Martin Johnson and co were at pains to point out that, whoa, hold on a minute, England were still winning. By yesterday Woodward was using the words "win" and "winning" mantra-like and more unashamedly.

Previously Woodward had conceded that England had been playing more narrowly in this tournament, and had shouldered some of the blame for that.

Now it's a case of so-what. England also received a similar sledging for their supposedly boring rugby en route to Australia from a doggedly defensive, Jonny Wilkinson-inspired 15-13 win over the All Blacks in June, and stunned the Wallabies by often going wide and scoring three excellent tries to one.

But, this time, it's an up-front case of damn the begrudgers. Bring it on.

It's something of a Road to Damascus conversion for Woodward, who was the aesthete's coach when he started out on the long journey to Saturday's World Cup final at London Irish.

Take the following example, one of many, when it was put to him England didn't play with much width.

"No, not at all. I think England have played with a lot of width," he began, to stifled sniggers from another huge media audience. "In the last 12/24 months. I think we've played with a lot of width, but you don't win the World Cup by playing with width. You win a World Cup by winning, and we're here to win.

"However we go about doing it is up to us. Whether we play narrow, tight, wide depends on the conditions and everything else. But we're here to win this game, that's the only thing we're focusing on and how we go about it, you'll find out on Saturday night."

Get the drift? It may be the biggest game of his and this English squad's life, but Aussie media baiting certainly won't disturb his sleep patterns.

"I lived here for five years, but it's all harmless stuff. I keep getting asked this question for the last six weeks and if you can't see the amusing side of it then you shouldn't be here in the first place, or especially doing this job, or even come to this country if you're English.

"It's harmless, it's good fun and it's no more than that. I think it's up to the English to give it back as well and I'm sure the Aussies will take it in the same way that we take it."

In unveiling his hand for Saturday's final, as expected Woodward has recalled Mike Tindall, with Bath team-mate Mike Catt reverting to the bench.

It could be interpreted as a sign he is sacrificing Catt's superior kicking and lengthier distribution for Tindall's greater physical presence, as a ball-carrier and a defender, perhaps with one eye on Stirling Mortlock's remarkable return from a shoulder operation. But Woodward wasn't having any of that.

"I don't think it's to counter their three-quarter line - it's to supplement our three-quarter line. Playing Australia it was right to go back with Tindall for this game. Horses for courses was right: we are here to win this match. It's as simple as that."

Woodward conceded England's form leading up to the final hadn't been exceptional. "We haven't been perfect by a long way, and we're the first to admit that, but we're one game away from doing something very special. We're one game away from going home happy. If we come home second, we're going to be mighty, mighty disappointed."

Echoing the sentiments of Wilkinson the day before, who daren't allow himself even the fleeting fancy of winning the World Cup, Woodward hasn't even countenanced what the consequences might be for the sport in his native country if they did.

"My job at Twickenham is to win Test matches. I get paid to win Test matches. The last four games against Australia we have have won four out of four, and that's the only stat I care about. That's what we pride ourselves on."

To that end, this is, as Martin Johnson says, a game of rugby, 15 v 15, and they will prepare the same as they do for every other game. Outside distractions will be more carefully avoided, media obligations kept to the bare minimum. Men on a mission.

Outside, the support for England from their Barmy Army is simply extraordinary. Sydney is abuzz with rugby fever and awash with white-shirted followers. This begs the question: do they have several replica shirts or do they wear the same one every day? Then again, maybe it's best not to go there.

It's reckoned that there are up to 50,000 English supporters in Sydney right now, with more no doubt clamouring to get out here.

Tickets, already fetching Aus$1,000, will surely escalate in value as the week progresses.

Most Kiwis, for example, seem to be condemned to cheaper, pre-paid return flights home after the final, which presents them with the dilemma of selling them on to detested enemies (especially Australians) or perhaps just tearing them up or burning them outside the ground in full view. After the gloating they've been subjected to, you wouldn't blame them.

Some of the Barmy Army have congregated around the England team base in Manly, a 30-minute boat ride away. Sorties to the beach on the other side of the road draw autograph hunters and photo-snappers like bees to honey. The volume of people simply tells you one or two English players must be in the middle of the huddle.

Barriers have had to be erected outside the hotel entrance in advance of their coach rides to and from training. This prompts some car-hooting from locals, and shouts of "Go, Wall-abies. Go!" or "Aussie-Aussie-Aussie!"

Late at night you might hear inebriated choruses of "Bor-ing, bor-ing". They've heard that one before, and like much else, the English residents inside are oblivious to it. Nay, they feed off it.

ENGLAND: J Lewsey (Wasps); J Robinson (Sale), W Greenwood (Harlequins), M Tindall (Bath), B Cohen (Northampton); J Wilkinson (Newcastle), M Dawson (Northampton); T Woodman (Gloucester), S Thompson (Northampton), P Vickery (Gloucester), M Johnson (Leicester), capt, B Kay (Leicester), R Hill (Saracens), L Dallaglio (Wasps), N Back (Leicester). Replacements: D West (Leicester), J Leonard (Harlequins), M Corry (Leicester), L Moody (Leicester), K Bracken (Saracens), M Catt (Bath), I Balshaw (Bath).