By Bryn Palmer BBC Sport in Sydney

He said to enjoy it and don't let it pass you by Ben Cohen on the advice from his Uncle George

There was only one question everyone wanted to ask Ben Cohen on Wednesday: 'Has Uncle George been in touch?'

So much so that the England wing joked that the next reporter to ask him would be getting a souvenir T-shirt.

But as the prospect of England being crowned world champions draws closer, 37 years after their last triumph in a global sporting event, Cohen was always going to be in demand.

He is, after all, the nephew of George Cohen, England's right back as Alf Ramsey's men won the football World Cup on home soil at Wembley in 1966.

"I think he's coming out to the game," Cohen confirmed.

"He's due out in the next couple of days if he can get a flight."

It would be fitting if George were to witness Ben imprinting the Cohen name further into English sporting folklore.

The family has emerged from the traumatic death of Ben's father Peter following an assault outside a Northampton nightclub three years ago.

The tragedy occurred days before Ben was due to play for England against Australia at Twickenham.

George Cohen is hoping to get to Sydney to see nephew Ben play

But his development since into one of the leading wings in world rugby has helped the healing process for both the player and his family.

"They are chuffed that I'm playing in a World Cup final," Ben said. "My mum is happy her kid's doing well."

So what advice did Uncle George have before attempting to catch a flight down under?

"He said to enjoy it and don't let it pass you by," Ben revealed.

"A lot of it you have to learn yourself and pick up your own things.

"It's a different sport but the pressures and the crowds are still the same."

There was never any likelihood of the young Ben following his uncle into the round-ball game though.

"My family were never the type to bully you into anything, so I had the option of playing soccer but I discovered I was no good at it," Cohen said recently.

"With rugby I held the ball and it just seemed more natural."

A strike-rate of 25 tries in his 34 Tests for England suggests he made the right choice.

A tall, powerfully built runner, Cohen has allied increased speed to his prodigious work-rate in recent times.

He is a formidable proposition in open space or in close to the action, and has developed a liking for scoring against Australia.

A brace of tries in last November's 32-31 win at Twickenham was followed by a memorable effort as England triumphed in Melbourne in July.

Another one in front of uncle George on Saturday, as part of a historic English victory, would put the seal on a unique sporting link.