I am no Barry Norman when it comes to choosing films so that might explain why today’s choice was Transformers. Not the greatest film in the world, but it didn’t take too much concentration.

I also did a press conference today, but rest assured I save all the best stuff for the blog. In fact I see it is so good that journalists are using all the best quotes from my blog for their articles.. When I pack the game up I think I might become a sports hack, I have been finding out how easy it is.

Looking at the game we know we have got the toughest of challenges, but this squad has belief. We have enjoyed being the underdogs and it is no secret we are still second favourites. To me this would be a bigger achievement than 2003. Then we were seen as the number one team. Coming to France this time we were ranked at number seven and then we had a very poor start. But against the odds we are now in the final against the Springboks and our belief continues.

It was interesting seeing the quotes from Eddie Jones, one of the South African coaches. He seemed interested in my age and suggested I could not take on another big game. That is his opinion and to be honest I like to be doubted, it gives you fuel and those comments have been logged in the memory bank – I might be old but I have not lost my memory. Don’t forget it is Mike Catt who is the Granddaddy in this squad, I am just a boy compared to him. At Bristol I am the real baby, there are at least four players older than me.

John Smit is a great player to match up to and I am looking forward to seeing him again. I know he said that I have said more to him in our matches than his wife has in 10 years. I will make sure I have a chat with him on Saturday as well, I might even ask for his phone number so we can keep the conversation going.

I can’t reveal our tactics, but one thing I will say is that the Springboks don’t have many weaknesses. The ones we have noticed we will be looking to exploit, but I couldn’t possibly tell you what they are.

Here is my latest blog scoop - I will not be retiring. Why would I want to do that when I am enjoying it so much? There is life in the old dog yet and these are amazing days. Saturday will certainly be a bit different to the 2003 final for me – and here is my second scoop. In 2003 I was sat in the stands with a bottle of the energy drink Gatorade because I was not part of the 22. What the cameras might not have noticed is that we all had vodka inside the bottles. The vodka will be waiting until after the game this time.

So what is my motivation – obviously it is free electrical equipment. The semi-final win resulted in a nice windfall for me. A mate of mine Graham Eagleson from Dereham Rugby Club promised me a 50 inch plasma if we won the semi. That’s why I got a bit emotional at the end because I was picturing that telly in my front room. I am now going to play my heart out for a DVD player if we win the big one. Another stalwart of the VU party – Steve Jones – has loaned me a Bentley for two weeks and Peter Harrison from Furniture Village has given me a sofa for getting to the final. I will only enjoy sitting on it if we win.

So now the countdown really begins. Thanks again for all your support and I can assure you that everyone will be doing everything they can in the Stade de France tomorrow. This is not the end of the blog – there will be more after the match. Keep on cheering and power us to victory wherever you are.

Have you recovered? I won’t deny that Saturday was the most emotional I have been at the end of a game. To beat France in the Rugby World Cup Semi-Final at the Stade de France was incredible. Everything that has gone on in the build up to the tournament and in the group stages just made this win even sweeter. It might have looked like I was crying at the end, but I think I just had something in my eye. Emotion can be a good thing and I think we have used it as a squad all the way. Of course I was part of the squad in 2003 but I have played a much more active role in this campaign making it extra special.

People have been talking about the moments of the game. Josh’s early try, Joe’s tap tackle or Jonny’s kicks. Of course the true rugby expert will see my charge down as the moment that changed the game! It hit me square in the belly. I have had a few people say they have never seen me run so fast and I really did enjoy that moment.

A lot of people ask me what I say during the game, and I can assure you that I have not stopped talking to the opposition. However I think a few of the French front row were finding it hard to understand me at the weekend.

I knew we had won it when we went four points ahead. Our defence has been so solid and there was no way we were going to let them over for a try in those last few minutes. Defence wins games and a lot of credit must go to our coach Mike Ford for the way we are keeping the tries out.

When we got back to the changing room it was time for a bit of Kenny Rogers, line dancing and karaoke. Talking of changing rooms another great move for us was winning the toss which gave us the home changing room at the Stade de France. When we walked past the away team’s changing room I knew that the French would not enjoy being in there away from their comfort zone. It gave us another edge along with the fantastic support both within the stadium and throughout the whole city.

We have always believed we will do well in the Rugby World Cup even when everyone else has doubted us. Our mottos are ‘Not Without a Fight’ and ‘Shock The World’. Right now we are doing both – and more. A strong motivation was that we did not want to be playing on Friday for a bronze medal. Some might have seen that as a successful tournament but we are defending champions and success for us will be to win it.

This England squad has become like a club team. There are no cliques, no them and us and no back biting. We have bonded like a club team and I suppose a lot of that is down to the criticism we have faced. We have faced that head on as a team and so far we have come out on top.

There is no need for really hard training now. Today is a day off, tomorrow will be some walkthroughs and lineout work, Wednesday is some more physical work including scrummaging, Thursday is another day off, Friday is a bit more light work and then it is time for THE game on Saturday.

I will talk a bit more about the Springboks in a post later this week but one thing is for sure this is not the same England team they played a month ago.

I caught up with Victor and the VU lot for lunch on Sunday in Paris and it was great to have a chat will real rugby fans. It was fantastic to see so many of his clients were really having the trip of a lifetime. People like Victor should be paying us more to keep winning which is keeping their clients happy.

Thanks again for all your support – and sorry I can’t get you extra tickets for the Rugby World Cup Final, I only get four myself!

I would put down tomorrow’s game as the biggest of my career. Despite last week’s performance I would say we were still underdogs. However, even though the French have got home advantage that brings with it extra pressure. As we do with all opponents we have spotted a few weaknesses but I am not going to let you know what those are the day before the game. It was hardly a secret last week that we knew the Aussies would struggle in the scrum but with the French it is not quite so obvious.

It is great to have an unchanged team, the first time for a long time. Fantastic for me to be starting again and I really can’t wait to get stuck into the game. This season it is 2-1 to the French so let’s see if we can even it up on Saturday night in Paris.

A lot of the publicity appears to be around Chabal and there is no doubt he is a good player. However all of us have come up against him both on the international circuit and in the league and we feel that we can more than match the danger. It is great for his profile to have long hair and a big beard. In fact I would consider growing my hair and facial hair if there was a contract on offer from a razor company. Around £1 million would do it for me.

The atmosphere is going to be fantastic and the noise will be amazing. I have heard that there will be as many as 40,000 English fans in the stadium which is going to mean a hell of a lot to us. I know we have got the performance inside us and we are just two games away from remaining World Champions.

I thought I would bore you today with a few things I do on the day of a game. I get up about 10am when it is an evening kick-off. Breakfast is the big meal of the day for me and is likely to be a bit of salmon some eggs and beans. I will then go and chill out for a bit in my room and maybe catch a DVD with The Dominator (see previous posts). There has been a lot of talk about the team listening to Kenny Rogers and a few have been singing his songs during training. However I build up to the game with a bit of gangster rap – as many of you will know I am a very ‘street’ person. I will nibble on a bit of pasta for lunch and then at about 6.30ish we will leave for the stadium. There will be a bit of work out on the pitch with Graham Rowntree our forwards coach, particularly on the lineout. Then it is into the changing room put on the England jersey and start to cherish the moment. I will try and get a bit more of my gangster rap going and then it is out onto the pitch. I am one for singing the National Anthem, although probably not in tune. I hope that gives you a little idea about what I will be up to tomorrow.

Vic has invited me over to join the VU lot for a bit of Sunday lunch so I probably will do that, as long as it is not burgers and chips – you can have too much of a good thing.

Bit of a different offering today – I am going to include a few VU clients on the posting. Last weekend was probably the busiest ever for us. Not only THE match of the tournament, but we also had a large group on a classic train from London to Cardiff for that other big match – New Zealand v France.

Marseille was just incredible; I am still trying to get over it. England were better than their two point win – I just don’t know where that performance came from. It is a result that has transformed this Rugby World Cup. I thought the forwards were just a different class. My mate and fellow blogger Ronnie Regan put in a fantastic performance and I am glad so many of you are enjoying his postings.

On Sunday Ronnie and his fellow hooker Lee Mears came to our beautiful villa in Marseille to join the VU lot for a bit of a celebration. It was great hearing from the boys and you can tell that this is a tight squad. I don’t think Ronnie had any right to criticise my lack of training in his last blog. I can’t wait to see what he looks like seven years after retiring.

Just gearing up now for the semi final weekend and another big one for me and the VU team. This has been an incredible tournament and just keeps getting better. I can’t decide if the French victory was more surprising that the English one but it sets up a classic for Paris.

As I said at the start this is going to be a bit of a different blog. Because even I could not be in two places at once I could not join the trip on the Northern Belle from London to Cardiff. What I did was get some of the comments from those on the train and they are bellow.

We had arranged for All Black legend Justin Marshall to be on board and I suspect it was a very long journey home for him. So here are some of the comments and let’s hope the game on Saturday is half as good as the quarters. France v England, Rugby World Cup 2007 – who would have thought it.

The first quote has to be from Mr Marshall. Wisely we spoke to him before the games had kicked off and it looks like he should have put his money where his mouth is as far as England are concerned. I don’t think he was up for going on the record after the defeat!

 ‘Everyone is on England’s case at the moment but at the end of the day, people love the underdogs to do well so the support is still great for the England team.  If England go on and win today, the match tonight between France and the All Blacks will have so much more bearing for all the people on the trip as England will play them next. England has some fantastic players in the team despite the negative comments and I fancy them to do well but let’s hope not too well!’ 

 Here are some more thoughts from those on the trip:

Louis Jones – ‘It was really good fun being on the train with people listening to the England versus Australia match on their portable radios and cheers going up and down the carriages. Arrived in plenty of time to have a few drinks in Cardiff and everyone was well looked after.’

Ben – ‘As a Munster supporter I have come here to really enjoy the whole package even if Ireland are not around.  It’s a great way to meet people on the train and chat to fellow rugby fans in some really flashy surroundings. There was a great atmosphere on the train on the way and back which may have been to do with the fine wine and champagne on offer!’

James – ‘I just hope that it is a repeat of the 1999 semi final! Shame not to meet Victor but I assume he is away sunning himself in Marseilles and I don’t blame him!’

Bill – ‘The match was great, really physical but at the end of the day, I was sad not to see Ireland in there with the other northern hemisphere teams that are left in the competition.