Kay says drop goal weapon can fire England to World Cup glory

Ben Kay is loving England's use of the drop goal at the Rugby World Cup and expects it to be a tactic Steve Borthwick's men utilise once again in this evening's semi-final showdown with South Africa.

Owen Farrell's late drop goal against Fiji, minutes after the Pacific Islanders had just levelled the score, set the Red Roses on their way to a 30-24 victory in Marseille last Sunday. 

Earlier in the tournament, George Ford kicked three superb drop goals as the 14 men beat Argentina 27-10 in their World Cup opener.

Speaking exclusively to LiveScore on behalf of Casinoservice, 2003 World Cup winner Kay said: "It's totally gone out of fashion but it'll come back in now.

"I remember thinking post-2003, that soon they'll reduce the value of a drop goal because we want to see tries.

"England have undoubtedly looked back at where there's been success and I think it's something that's been in Steve Borthwick's armoury for a while.

"When he was at Leicester, there were many big games they won with a drop goal.

"I'd be very surprised if we didn't see a couple of attempts this weekend.

"Equally, South Africa have used it as a tactic before and Rassie [Erasmus] likes to pick up on things that are happening and tweak them to his own advantage.

"So I'd be very surprised if we didn't see South Africa try a couple early on."

Battle scars

Despite plenty of criticism, England were the only Northern Hemisphere team to reach the semi-finals after hosts France, world No1-ranked Ireland and in-form Wales were sent packing by Southern counterparts.

Tonight will be England's second successive appearance in a World Cup semi-final, with many of the current side still left from the team that reached the final four years ago — which Kay believes was a factor in sealing their place.

The former second row, 47, added: "Ireland and France were very unlucky but there is that old saying that you need to have a few scars going into battle.

"You learn from those mistakes and learn that even when things aren't going well, you can still find a way to get the job done.

"Before the Ireland vs New Zealand game, there were something like nine New Zealand players that had stood in that tunnel before knowing that they'd beaten Ireland in a quarter-final.

"And that absolutely counts for something. England found a way of getting it done and maybe some of that's the big game experience."

Best as underdogs

Despite a vastly improved performance against the Fijians, England will head to Paris as underdogs for their final-four clash with the world champions.

But Kay, who was also part of the England side that defied the odds to reach the 2007 final, believes it is a role the Red Roses are well-versed at performing.

The ex-Leicester Tigers forward remarked: "South Africa are overwhelming favourites on Saturday night, I think. 

"But it's not a bad place to be in, in a pressurised situation of a World Cup semi-final, to be the underdogs.

"And it's something that in 2007 we used against Australia in the quarters and France in the semis and it stood us in good stead until we met South Africa [in the final].

"But for everything that's happened in the last two months, they're two games away from winning a World Cup."