Springbok winger Bryan Habana says South Africa's 36-0 mauling of England is irrelevance ahead of this weekend's World Cup final between the sides.

Both teams return to Stade de France on Saturday night, when the Webb Ellis Trophy will be at stake.  The rematch comes just five weeks after England suffered a record World Cup beating at the hands of Habana and team-mates.

But while South Africa continued on an unbeaten path to the final, with Habana scoring tries for fun, England dug deep to mount a remarkable recovery.

Successive victories over Samoa, Tonga, Australia and France have left England one win away from creating rugby history as the first team to achieve a successful World Cup defence.

And Habana, who equalled Jonah Lomu's record of eight tries in one tournament with a double against semi-final opponents Argentina, believes there is a major reason behind England's revival - Jonny Wilkinson.

Habana said: "Four weeks ago, Jonny Wilkinson wasn't playing.  England had a few problems at 10 and 12 for that game with injuries, and it is going to be a totally different ball game this time around.

"England have shown in the last two weeks they are capable of winning in pressure situations, and there are many guys involved who were part of their 2003 World Cup-winning squad, which has been coming through strongly.

"What happened four weeks ago has got no meaning with regard to next weekend. It is going to be a lot tougher, but we are going to put everything into it.

"We are expecting a different England team. It is a final, a win or lose-all situation, and the English have proved in the last two or three weeks they are really good in those situations.

"Tactically, it will probably be one hell of a game. Jonny is not a world champion for nothing, so it will be a totally different kettle of fish when we go back to Stade de France.

"I think Jonny has brought a bit of experience back to the side, taking nothing away from the guys who covered for him while he was injured.  You can only get that experience having been there, and he was there in 2003 with the whole build-up and then the final.

"You can't buy that experience or pick it up off the street, and it has made a big difference.

"Jason Robinson poses probably the biggest threat in that back-line, bar Jonny.  Since he has come back from his hamstring injury, he has made such a huge difference playing at 15 again.

"I really hoped we would see Jason again. He is a fantastic rugby player, and I have got the world of respect for him. What he has done for English rugby over the past six years has been fantastic.

"The pool game was a game we really targeted, but England have shown their strength. They are world champions, and you have got to respect that fact."

If England are to pull off another stunning victory though, they will somehow have to find a way of stopping Habana.