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Maro Itoje insists South Africa are not infallible as he urges England to seize the chance to clinch a place in the World Cup final.<\/p>\n
The rivals collide at the Stade de France on Saturday with the Springboks red hot favourites to retain the crown they won against England in Yokohama four years ago.<\/p>\n
But Steve Borthwick\u2019s men are the only unbeaten side left in the tournament and Itoje is convinced they have yet to play their best rugby since landing on these shores seven weeks ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cSouth Africa are a good team. They are the current world champions, they\u2019ve had a very good World Cup,\u201d the Saracens second row said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve played them twice since 2019, they\u2019ve won one, we\u2019ve won one. We\u2019re not talking about a team that has never lost, we\u2019re not talking about a team that is without fault \u2013 they are a good team, but so are we.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe there is still a huge amount of growth to come from this team and I feel we haven\u2019t seen the best of us yet.<\/p>\n
I believe that if we put our best out on the field, we are going to be celebrating on Saturday night<\/p>\n
\u201cFor us, it\u2019s about imposing our game. We don\u2019t want to sit back and just watch them do their thing, we want to be England rugby.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe that if we put our best out on the field, we are going to be celebrating on Saturday night and have a positive night.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you get to these games, a lot of people say, \u2018it\u2019s just another game\u2019. This isn\u2019t just another game. This is a special game. People are aware of what\u2019s at stake.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese are special games and you don\u2019t get many opportunities like this. It\u2019s about us seizing the moment, being really present and taking any opportunities we get.\u201d<\/p>\n
Itoje is one of eight survivors from the starting XV that was routed 32-12 by South Africa in the 2019 final and while Saturday offers the chance to avenge that defeat, the 28-year-old sees no value in looking backwards.<\/p>\n
\u201cDifferent experience, different context, different opposition. It helps having the experience of playing in a semi-final before, but it\u2019s completely, completely different,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to play the game that\u2019s in front of us. We have to play this South African team, not the South African team of however many years ago. This South African team, not the one that they may be after this.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to be as individuals and as a collective, we have to be really present. We have to be really in the moment to deal with what we need to deal with.\u201d<\/p>\n