Robbie Hunter-Paul
Former New Zealand international on BBC One

Cameron Smith is an amazing player and he's really taken the mantle off Johnathan Thurston. He's smart and he's the heart and soul of what Australia does.

He knows when to pass it, he knows when to run and we know what he's going to do with Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk.

England need to make this game gritty and stop them in their tracks otherwise Australia are going to have a field day.

Image source, Getty Images

Australia coach Mal Meninga's been in elite sport for a long time but even he has bitten on a little barb from Wayne Bennett this past week.

The England boss talked about slowing down the ruck, how Australia have manipulated that.

He responded with photo evidence showing England doing it. Getting under the skin perhaps?

Their tussle this evening will be a big one.

Jamie Whitehouse: Denis Betts is the only man with a gravellier (don’t think that’s even a word) voice than Sean Dyche

Betts was interviewed on BBC One a few minutes ago - and yes, he has a very distinctive voice.

Image source, Getty Images

England are without captain Sean O'Loughlin after a quad injury ruled him out... in his place Slammin' Sam Burgess takes the armband and moves to lock, with Ben Currie coming into the second-row and Jonny Lomax onto the bench. Big lock Chris Heighington replaces hooker Josh Hodgson.

Australia are able to name an unchanged 17 for their first World Cup final on home soil in nine years - at the same Lang Park venue. Back-rowers Matt Gillett and Josh McGuire are back on familiar territory - they play their club rugby here for Brisbane Broncos.

Australia: Slater; Gagai, Chambers, Dugan, Holmes; Morgan, Cronk; Woods, Smith, Klemmer, Cordner, Gillett, McGuire

Replacements: W. Graham, McLean, Campbell-Gillard, Frizell

England: Widdop; McGillvary, Watkins, Bateman, Hall; Brown, Gale; Hill, Roby, J. Graham, Currie, Whitehead, S. Burgess

Replacements: Walmsley, T. Burgess, Heighington, Lomax

Image source, Getty Images

Wayne Bennett is certainly not a man for words. Actions speak louder and all that. So he was hardly going to be effusive about questions relating to his future.

England's head honcho is out of contract after this tournament, and inevitably the interest of the media has turned to his plans post-World Cup.

The 67-year-old Brisbane Broncos coach, England's first Australian boss, was appointed in February 2016.

Asked about his future plans, he said: "I haven't thought. I just want to get to Saturday night."

Win the cup, and you can do whatever you like pal.

Robbie Hunter-Paul
Former New Zealand international on BBC One

England are going in this game with nothing to lose and the media have been saying it's a one-horse race.

Image source, Getty Images

So, 22 years eh?

Australia conquerors of England at Wembley. Brad Fittler and Andrew Johns were the gamebreakers.

We need our game-breakers on form today.

Image source, SWPIX.COM

The Paul Barriere Trophy is named after a World War Two resistance fighter whose passion for rugby league, 'rugby a treize' as the French now call it, helped develop the concept of the World Cup after the war in his role as president of the French rugby league association.

Only two of Great Britain's three winning captains got their hands on the trophy, because it was stolen from a hotel in Bradford during the 1970 tournament.

Clive Sullivan in 1972 lifted a new cup, while Kangaroos skipper Freddy Fittler in 1995 clutched a specially designed trophy, struck to celebrate rugby league's centenary.

Bizarrely the trophy eventually turned up in 1990, amongst dumped rubbish in Bradford, and after being restored was again presented from 2000 onwards.

There is a rather sad tale about rugby league in France which is too deep to go into at this particular moment, but I can recommend tracking down Mike Rylance's book The Forbidden Game for more information.

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Justin Holbrook
St Helens head coach on BBC One

I am from the Australian side and we love Super League.

We are lucky another country is figuring highly on the rugby league scale - we watch as much Super League as we can.

Anyone playing outside of the quality of Cooper Cronk, Michael Morgan, Billy Slater and Will Chambers is going to find some joy in try-scoring terms, which is just what Australia's 12-try phenomenon Valentine Holmes has done at this World Cup.

The 22-year-old has a bit of a Midas touch when it comes to rep footy. Four tries in two Queensland State of Origin appearances, now 14 tries in 10 Tests for the Kangaroos.

He might be a full-back at club level for Cronulla but head coach Mal Meninga was defiant he's a winger, and owes his team-mates some.

"Valentine was 'Johnny on the Spot', and he admits all the inside work has been fantastic," Meninga said after Holmes ran in SIX tries in the Fiji win. Talk about playing it down.

"The intercept was well-read but he got it. I've got to give the inside boys a bit of credit."

Image source, Getty Images

Colin Hirons: am I reading too much into this. BBC breakfast news Editor called Burgess, reporter about technology Burgess. It happens in 3’s come on England.

Marcus hall:@SamBurgess8, external is a natural born leader he's the impact player today if everyone follow he's lead we have a real good chance

Steve. H: Come on England. Keep it tight in the first 20 minutes. That's the key. And we'll win this 20-12.

Ian Millward
Former St Helens coach on BBC Two

Image source, Getty Images

Australia have NRL players with experience, they have size on the bench and in their forwards.

England, most importantly, they have defended their line and kept their line - that will keep them in good stead against the favourites.

The coach has been smart, he has said 'we've achieved the goal to get to a first final in a long time'.

England must be relaxed and have got to score points, but they have to build confidence with their defence.

The class and quality of Jermaine McGillvary is a bit like the best kept secret in rugby league.

Fans of Super League have known for years that this cannonball winger hewn from what appears to a mix of carbon fibre and granite as he skitters defenders on the charge, is a superstar.

However, at international level... he's starting to prove world class credentials. Seven tries at this World Cup, 12 in 11 Tests... this down-to-earth Huddersfield lad would balk at being called a star but that he is.

He was nominated for the Golden Boot, pipped by Kangaroos skipper Cameron Smith. How nice would it be for McGillvary to do the pipping today?

Few English people can boast a World Cup medal, the exhilaration of lifting a trophy that denotes you and your teammates are the best on the planet.

Ex-Featherstone and Salford half-back Steve Nash can.

He was part of the Great Britain team that won the 1972 competition, pipping Australia to the prize after a draw in Lyon.

“I like to surprise people. Even now I will drop it in a conversation ‘Yeah I’ve won a World Cup, I’ll go fetch my medal," he told BBC Sport.

Hopefully there will be some fellow Englishmen receiving such medals this morning.

Sam Tomkins
England international on BBC One

Image source, Getty Images

The loss of Josh Hodgson gives us another dimension with Jonny Lomax coming in on the bench.

He can create something from not a lot, so despite being without Josh we have the luxury of someone like Jonny on the bench.

It might give us something we need in the latter stages today.

Here are some fans who've already done it...

mogen: I'm afraid the cricket has been turned off in favour for the rugby league world cup. #bbcrl, external

Rik Williams: I actually think @England_RL, external can win this! N I'm sat with my brew watching n waiting #hardcore, external#WallofWhite, external#bbcrl, external

Marc Hill: ok it is time England need to mix it up early kick and make them drop deep and them them on their toes relentless will be the word today

Give us your thoughts throughout the game, and of course your questions for the panel on BBC One.

How? #bbcrl

Great Britain have won three World Cups, in 1954, 1960 and 1972.

All three have pride of place on the roll of honour, but from an English perspective, only one was lifted by an Englishman.

Scottish loose-forward Dave Valentine was the first man to get his hands on the trophy full stop, when the Lions won the inaugural competition.

Welshman Clive Sullivan was the try-scoring hero, and the man who collected the cup in 1972 after a gruelling 100-minute draw with Australia in Lyon was enough to secure the trophy.

The man who Sam Burgess is bidding to emulate today is Wigan centre Eric Ashton, who ensured the cup would come to Britain after a 10-3 win against the Kangaroos at Odsal in October 1960.

Ashton, being held aloft by his Wigan teammates with the Challenge Cup below, is one of the five players honoured by the rugby league statue which marks the links with that competition at Wembley Stadium.

Image source, PA