Mike Henson
BBC Sport in Lille

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This will be the first time that England centre Manu Tuilagi plays against Samoa, the land of his birth and the one represented by his brothers Anitelea, Alesana, Henry and Freddie.

Tuilagi has explained in the past that his "heart and home is still Samoa”, but he won't be getting any easy ride from Samoans opposite him today.

Billy Vunipola warned before the tournamant that he had been on the receiving end of some big hits, external when England faced off agaisnt Tonga, the land of his own fathers, in the previous World Cup.

"We want to be unapologetically Samoan," said Samoa coach Tusi Pisi of their approach to Tuilagi.

"He understands that. He plays like that. Give him a gift, he’ll give us a gift. Back and forth."

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Tough luck if you just happened to need a Richard the Lionheart outfit for a fancy dress party tonight in northern France...

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BBC Sounds

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England's defence coach Kevin Sinfield on the Rugby Union Daily podcast: “I think what is important is the sessions on a Tuesday - they help keep the momentum. When the lads train at an intensity that they are competing at it helps to keep momentum and we have a lot of healthy competition for a lot of places.

“We had enough adversity to come through in August and I think that has set us u really nice to hopefully continue this campaign and have all 33 available.

“When you watch the World Cup so far the vast majority of the time the most physical team will win. We have respect of how Samoa play and their DNA, but our game is built on being physical and to front up on a Saturday like we do every single week.

“We have to get better and keep on improving if we want to keep progressing in this tournament. We will keep working hard at our defence and if you look at any sport it is normally the best defensive team which wins.”

There are two quarter-finals in particular that look like absolute humdingers aren't there...

Mike Henson
BBC Sport in Lille

Brendan and Terry (second from left and far right in the picture above) have been out in France for the duration of England's campaign, wheeling out replacement companions for each match. Tina (far left) and Harrison have rolled off the bench and into action for this one.

Brendan is full of praise for France as hosts, his favourite city so far has been Nice - the scene of England's win over Japan in their second pool-stage game.

He hopes that England can make it to the semi-finals so he can add a Paris-themed pint pot to his collection of commemorative tournament beer glasses. He doesn't imagine that he will be staying on for the final though.

"It would be France or South Africa in the semi-final wouldn't it?," he asks. I confirm that those two juggernauts are the likliest potential last-four opponent for England.

"We'd get spanked by either," he says.

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That's a good question. As the pictures start to fill in here's how the run to glory is starting to look...

Confirmed teams in black

14 October: Quarter-final 1: Winner Pool C v Runner-up Pool D (Stade de Marseille), 16:00 - Wales v Argentina/Japan

14 October: Quarter-final 2: Winner Pool B v Runner-up Pool A (Stade de France), 20:00 - South Africa/Ireland/Scotland v New Zealand

15 October: Quarter-final 3: Winner Pool D v Runner-up Pool C (Stade de Marseille), 16:00 -England v Wales/Fiji/Australia

15 October: Quarter-final 4: Winner Pool A v Runner-up Pool B (Stade de France), 20:00 - France v Ireland/South Africa/Scotland

Ceri Coleman-Phillips
BBC Sport Wales at Stade de la Beaujoire

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Wales completed a clean sweep of World Cup pool matches with a bonus-point victory over Georgia.

Louis Rees-Zammit scored a hat-trick as Warren Gatland's side topped Pool C to set up a likely quarter-final meeting with Argentina or Japan.

BBC Sounds

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England scrum-half Danny Care on the Rugby Union Daily podcast: “The dream is to get to Paris, if you get to Paris you are in a semi-final. But we have taken each game one-by-one and it has worked for us so we have not changed it.

“We know it is a massive chance for us to improve and work on the things which we are getting better at and maybe try a couple of other things as well.

"No one has talked about a quarter-final as we are all focused on Samoa. The best 33 will win this tournament with the best team spirit - ours is good at the minute."

Listen to the podcast here.

Mike Henson
BBC Sport in Lille

The Samoan fans are heavily out-numbered here in Lille. Perhaps unsurprising since it is an hour-and-a-half train from London, whereas Sunema (right) endured a 40-hour journey to get to France from Fiji, where she works.

Her sister and niece Reti and Michaela didn't have it much easier, having travelled from Perth to follow the team.

They were in Toulouse to see their team's 28-22 defeat by Japan last time out. They are not too hopeful of the win they need to jump ahead of Argentina and the Brave Blossoms and into contention for the third-place finish that would ensure automatic qualification for Australia 2027.

"Don't beat our boys by too many!," they joke to a passing group of England fans.

What answers are you looking for from England still? Who has impressed you most so far? And who look like the team to beat?

Let us know...

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Owen Farrell made his debut for England in the Six Nations in February, 2012.

Today he will almost certainly become the record points scorer, moving past the great Jonny Wilkinson. Some effort!

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Most points for England men:

1179 - Jonny Wilkinson

1178 - Owen Farrell

400 - Paul Grayson

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England have won the group and know a quarter-final at least awaits.

Samoa have little chance of progressing with Argentina and Japan facing each other for second place in the pool on Sunday.

But Samoa could secure third place and with that automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

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George Ford and Owen Farrell will start together as fly-half and inside centre for the first time since March 2021.

Their partnership, a key part of the run to the 2019 Rugby World Cup final, has been disrupted by injury and Marcus Smith's emergence as a Test player. Smith is on the bench today.

Manu Tuilagi is outside Farrell at 13, and plays against Samoa, the country of his birth and the nation represented by his brothers Anitelea, Alesana, Henry and Freddie, for the first time.

Flanker Tom Curry also returns from suspension to start but Henry Arundell, who scored five tries in England's most recent victory over Chile, is not included.

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Can you believe it's game 36 of this World Cup already?

With the road to the final in Paris beginning to open up - or be closed off permanently - for some teams, England have nothing riding on today's Test.

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A place in the last eight is assured, but is Owen Farrell's place in the XV? Will Marcus Smith be the answer at 15? Should Tom Curry start at flanker going forwards?

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These are just some of the answers coach Steve Borthwick needs. WIll today's run out in Lille provide?