![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletter\/sport\/sport-135x135.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Kevin Sinfield has demanded England\u2019s players empty the tanks in Saturday\u2019s World Cup semi-final against South Africa to ensure they are not left with lifelong regrets.<\/p>\n
For eight of the starting XV it is the chance to avenge their defeat to the Springboks in the 2019 final when the expectations generated by a thumping victory over New Zealand a round earlier were ground into the Yokohama Stadium turf.<\/p>\n
Steve Borthwick\u2019s England were given little hope of challenging for South Africa\u2019s crown due a dismal series of warm-up fixtures which extended their losing run to five defeats in six Tests, yet they are the only unbeaten side left in the tournament.<\/p>\n
Defence coach Sinfield sees the benefit of continuing to confront adversity head on at the Stade de France.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am certainly not overwhelmed. I understand the challenge in front of us,\u201d the English rugby league great said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I don\u2019t mind being backed into a corner, don\u2019t mind being written off, don\u2019t mind being slammed, don\u2019t mind being in the thick of a pretty tough circumstance.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just think that we\u2019re in a World Cup semi-final, there is a lot of good in us, there are a lot of things to be excited about.<\/p>\n
We want them to give everything they’ve got, otherwise you end up with a load of regrets for the rest of your life<\/p>\n
\u201cComing up against South Africa will let us know where we\u2019re at. But for our players, they are so excited to be out there.<\/p>\n
\u201cRewind eight weeks to the end of August and it was pretty grim for us, but we want them to absolutely rip into it on Saturday night.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want them to give everything they\u2019ve got, otherwise you end up with a load of regrets for the rest of your life.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are really looking forward to this \u2013 we are coming up against the best team in the world at the weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n
England have a mix of ages in their squad ranging from 22-year-old George Martin to 36-year-old Dan Cole and Sinfield believes that the final message to the squad before they take the field needs to be delivered with more subtlety in the modern era.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s probably more subtle than Churchillian speeches and understanding that leadership has changed and this generation is different,\u201d Sinfield said.<\/p>\n
\u201cGone is the big Churchillian leader. They do exist but they\u2019re quite rare.\u201d<\/p>\n
South Africa director of rugby Rassie Erasmus is adept at what Warren Gatland describes as \u201cdark arts\u201d, such as using mind games to give his side an edge.<\/p>\n
The most recent example is the suggestion that the Springboks used HIAs in their quarter-final victory over France to give forwards Duane Vermeulen, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Bongi Mbonambi a rest \u2013 a claim denied by Erasmus.<\/p>\n
Attack coach Richard Wigglesworth insists England are ready for any scheming but believe the match will be decided in other areas.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure that, with the smarts of their coaching team, they will try to throw stuff at us, no doubt. Will that be the winning and losing of this game? Probably not,\u201d Wigglesworth said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will probably be the big bits of the game that decides that and then they\u2019ll give those little nuances a chance.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wouldn\u2019t like to guess what they are going to try and do because I know they will watch and hear everything we say. I wouldn\u2019t like to try and give anyone a head start.\u201d<\/p>\n