Alert – Beer we go! England rugby fans pour into Paris as their heroes prepare to take on South Africa in the World Cup semi-final

Thousands of England rugby fans have starting pouring into Paris today to watch their heroes take on South Africa in the World Cup semi-final.

Punters in Red Rose jerseys have already begun sinking pints in the run-up to tonight’s grudge match against the Springboks.

Some 20,000 England fans are expected to cheer on the team when they take to the pitch at the Stade de France in the French capital.

But Steve Borthwick’s squad are coming into the clash as the underdogs, with bookies giving odds of just 5/1 to beat the current world champions. 

And despite the odds, England’s army of supporters still remain hopeful the men in red and white can pull off a famous victory.

‘There’s no reason why we can’t do it,’ said Tony Brett, 43 from Bath. ‘Whatever happens it’s going to be a great game.’

Mr Brett was part of a travelling army of fans from the UK who were in the French capital for the Saturday evening clash.

‘We might be underdogs, but England can certainly do it,’ said Simon Goss, also 43 and from Bath.

Father and son Toby and Nick Walter, aged 51 and 19, from Sevenoaks in Kent, also believed England had a fighting chance.

‘England to win by three points is my prediction,’ said Mr Walter, who was wearing a British & Irish Lions kit.

‘We’ll be wearing our white England kit at the game,’ he said, adding: ‘We’re England first and Lions second.’

Richard and Ben Summers, another father and son, aged 52 and 25, from Sheffield, attended the New Zealand win against Argentina on Friday night as a warmup to the England game.

‘If every player is at his best, and South Africa make a few mistakes then – yes – we can do it,’ said Mr Summer senior.

‘We follow England, Sheffield and Knottingley rugby club and know that the game can throw up all kinds of surprise. Whatever happens, it should be a superb night.’

Tonight’s clash comes on the anniversary of two famous British military victories which fans hope will spur England on to.

On October 21 1805, British military hero Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson  led the Royal Navy to one of its most famous victories at the Battle of Trafalgar. 

Lord Nelson’s fleet of 27 warships where outnumbered when they took on and defeated the 33 ships of the combined French and Spanish armada. 

The exactly 94 years later, in 1899, English soldiers from the Devonshire and Manchester regiments were among those who triumphed in the Battle of Elandslaagte in South Africa. 

Troops fighting for the South African Republic under General Johannes Kock were roundly defeated in the town of Elandslaagte, north of Ladysmith, during the Second Boer War. 

An epic performance by England’s warriors was again required if they were to have any chance of beating Rugby World Cup champions South Africa.

As fans arrived by train, plane and car, a vast security operation unfolded to keep them all safe.

France is on maximum terror alert following the killing of a school teacher by a self-styled ISIS terrorist in Arras, north of Paris, a week ago, and multiple bomb alerts.

The Palace of Versailles, Louvre Museum and Eiffel Tower have all been shut down at various times over the past week because of false warnings.

In 2015, three ISIS suicide bombers targeted the Stade de France during an international football match between France and Germany attended by the then French president, François Hollande.

The latest fears come as tensions mount across the world because of the Israel-Hamas War in the Middle East.

Today will also see England taking on South Africa in the Cricket World Cup.