JERMAINE McGillvary is hoping to make it third time lucky when the two form wingers of the 2017 World Cup collide in Saturday's final.

The Huddersfield flier has taken the tournament by storm, scoring in all five of England's games so far and topping the yardage gains to earn a nomination for the Golden Boot award to be presented in Brisbane on Wednesday.

McGillvary is scoring a try a game for his country but he will go up against Australia's wing sensation Valentine Holmes, a man seven years his junior who has scored 11 tries in the Kangaroos' last two fixtures.

"It will be the third time in my career that I've gone up against him," said McGillvary. "He's a fantastic young winger, one of the best in the world at the moment and scoring for fun.

"He's a great player and it's always an honour to play against him. He works hard for his tries too – he's a really strong, yardage carrier, he's got the total package. It's going to be a great test for me."

Holmes was on the winning side in Australia's Four Nations clash with England in London last year and helped the Kangaroos launch the World Cup with an 18-4 win over Wayne Bennett's men in Melbourne five weeks ago.

McGillvary has scored in each of England's last ten Test matches and has a total of 12 tries in just 11 appearances – but he would not mind his prolific run coming to an end at the Suncorp Stadium as long as he finishes on the winning team this time.

He said: "It's good to have that record but if we keep on winning, I don't care how many I score. Winning this week would be the biggest achievement for me."

Saturday's final will mark the culmination of a season that for the Super League players began ten months earlier, although McGillvary insists there is no hint of fatigue in the England camp.

A proud family man, 29-year-old McGillvary says the 2017 World Cup will provide him with memories to last a lifetime – particularly the semi-final against a Tongan side urged on by more than 25,000 fervent supporters that turned Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland into a sea of red.

He said: "It was the best atmosphere I've ever played in. They had a nation behind them and nearly blew us away in the last five minutes. It was crazy but we made it, the first England team for 22 years to make a World Cup final.

"This is a special group of guys. It's been a long year but this last six or seven weeks has been amazing. We've been all across Australia, New Zealand, played in some big games, played against a nation and not many people can say that.

"It's an experience of a lifetime and I've enjoyed every minute of it. If you can't enjoy that, there's something wrong with you. We're now in a new city with new people, all the boys are just taking it in.

"It's been a long time away from the family and my kids but I'll have great memories. It's something we'll look back on as we get old."

England, who gave their players a day off today, are continuing to monitor the fitness of skipper Sean O'Loughlin after he picked up a quadriceps injury in the semi-final, although he is almost certain to be included in coach Wayne Bennett's provisional team to be announced tomorrow.