Sir Clive Woodward has told England to forget about the World Cup final as they attempt to retain their title in the most unlikely of circumstances.

Woodward, who led the nation to their triumph in Australia four years ago, was in the crowd in Marseille on Saturday as Brian Ashton's men overturned the odds to dump Australia out of the competition to book a semi-final clash with hosts France.

However, he has warned Ashton's men they cannot afford even to think about the final as they attempt to upset the form book once again in Paris next weekend.

Woodward told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme: ''They have got two games. It is right there, but they have just got to concentrate on next week.

''Forget the final, you have got to concentrate on somehow coming off that pitch against France with more points than them, which sounds so obvious.

''It is not about being flash next week, it is just about working out ways to put this French team under huge pressure and just keeping taking the points.

''They know France very, very well and the French players will know them well, but there are no hang-ups for England beating France at all.''

England lost twice to France in August having defeated them 26-18 at Twickenham in the RBS 6 Nations Championship, but Woodward believes none of those results will have any bearing on Saturday's game.

He said: ''It is another 50-50 game. They have moved on hugely in the last few weeks since the start of the tournament.''

''I went to the South Africa game and you could not have imagined that England could have actually played like that just a few weeks later.

''It just shows you if you keep players together with a good coaching team around them, you can get these huge improvements very, very quickly.

''It is going to be a hugely competitive game and I think England have got every chance of winning.''

That is a view shared by the Rugby Football Union's elite rugby director, Rob Andrew, who famously dumped Australia out of the 1995 World Cup with a late drop-goal.

He said: ''To be honest, the warm-up games don't mean a damn thing. We beat them in the Six Nations, so does that mean we will beat them in the semi-final? No, of course it doesn't.

''It has got nothing to do with it. It is going to be a massive game. A semi-final against the holders in Paris, it doesn't come much bigger than that.

''France will be favourite, clearly after their performance on Saturday, and quite rightly so.

''But this England team have been underdogs all the way through this tournament and it will need another massive performance and another improvement on Saturday.

''What the guys have to do this week is find ways in which they can improve before they play France on Saturday.''

Few commentators expected England to make the last four after a humiliating 36-0 defeat by South Africa in the pool stage.

However, Woodward paid tribute to the spirit and commitment within the camp which fuelled yesterday's victory and handed them the chance to defend their title.

He said: ''I look at the group of players and a lot of those players have won World Cups. They have won the World Cup before and they know they can do it.

''Pressure is a very funny thing. Yesterday was huge in terms of world rugby. For France and England to win and knock off teams who were hot favourites is huge.

''If you have got the right quality of player and have enough time to really work them properly so they get a lot of understanding, anything is possible.''