大象传媒

England calm before storm (20)

• Mark Orlovac
• 12 Oct 07, 05:31 PM

Paris 鈥� I鈥檒l have to be honest here, I woke up this morning with butterflies in my stomach. It did not take me long to work out the reason why.

After all the hype and build-up, we are just over 24 hours away from Saturday鈥檚 massive clash between .

The anticipation is building.

And I鈥檓 sure that both England and France fans are feeling the same now, as will the supposed 40,000 English supporters who are expected across the channel in the next day or so.

If it's bad for the watching public, can you imagine what it is like for the players that actually have to do the business on Saturday night?

For the players, these final few hours before the game in the hotel must be horrendous. There is little to occupy the mind apart from thinking about the game, the planned moves and all the things they have talked about in team meetings during the week.

So it was no surprise that at England鈥檚 final press conference before the big day, attention soon turned to how the squad are dealing with the tension.

鈥淲e are as relaxed as we can be,鈥� said skipper Phil Vickery. 鈥淭here are a lot of nerves around the camp but I don鈥檛 want people to use up all their energies now.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 want people to play the game in their minds this week, I want them to play on Saturday against what will be a ferocious team.鈥�

For Ashton, handling his players correctly over the next 24 hours will be crucial to how they perform at the .

He talked of anxiety 鈥渂eing a positive thing鈥� - if it is channelled in the right way come game time, and like he has done before during this tournament, Ashton is more than happy to let the players take charge.

鈥淚 just keep out of the way,鈥� he said. 鈥淔riday and Saturday this week is all about the players.

鈥淲e had our final run on Friday morning and it would be completely wrong for me to go steamrollering in saying 鈥渄on鈥檛 forget we have to do this or do that鈥�.

鈥淣ow is the time for the players to think about their roles. The more a coach stays with the players as it gets closer to a game, the more the anxiety grows.

鈥淭he players are happy to take over. The majority of these guys are very experienced players. They have been through massive games before and are more than capable of looking after themselves in the 24 hours before the game.鈥�

In his unique style Vickery issued a clarion call to his players, saying that gameplans mean nothing if 鈥測ou haven鈥檛 got that physicality, bravery or guts鈥�.

And he seemed quite emotional when he praised the attitude of the squad.

鈥淚 can tell you that there are some absolute bloody heroes in my team and they are people who I am very proud to be playing alongside,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e just want to go out there and do the very best for our country.鈥�

Vickery admitted that the build-up had been completely different to , a match most people outside the camp had expected England to lose.

The sense of expectation this week is certainly a lot higher than it was ahead of that memorable quarter-final in Marseille. A lot has changed for England in the last seven days.

Despite the understandable jitters, England鈥檚 players were relaxed enough in the media room at England鈥檚 hotel.

Wing Paul Sackey was laid-back as ever, showing off his iPod to 大象传媒 Radio 5Live pundit Matt Dawson, while Vickery pretended to snore as lock Ben Kay was being interviewed.

Vickery at one point even broke out into song 鈥� singing England鈥檚 new favourite tune, .

And Ashton raised a laugh when he was asked if there had been any messages from the great and good back home.

鈥淭he England football manager Steve McClaren,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ngland cricket and the England women鈥檚 football team.鈥�

鈥淭he Prime Minister?鈥� asked a reporter. 鈥淣o,鈥� said a deadpan Ashton. 鈥淗e鈥檚 Scottish isn鈥檛 he?鈥�

So now the build-up is over and we have the calm before the storm.

Here鈥檚 to hoping this weekend will be as good as the last and let鈥檚 hope our nerves can handle it.

Mark Orlovac is a 大象传媒 Sport journalist based in London. He will be based in Paris for the knockout stages of the Rugby World Cup.

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