England star Josh Lewsey has been ruled out of Sunday's World Cup final after picking up a hamstring injury in the semi-final win over France.

Lewsey, 30, had to leave the field in the first-half of England’s 14-9 win at the Stade de France in Paris and was sent for scan last night. It was confirmed that he suffered a grade one strain.

The Wasps wing/full-back said he was “absolutely gutted” about missing the final against South Africa. "Over the last four years, not just yourself but the people around you sacrifice an awful lot for you to be able to put sport first. There have been some testing times over the last couple of years and to go through all that and then to miss out just as you get to the final of the World Cup is very disappointing,” he told reporters.

"I kept some lasting hope that it was a spasm or cramp but we went for a scan on Sunday and it was clear straight away. It looks like three to five weeks out."

Lewsey played a key role in scoring the only try in the semi-final against the hosts. Lewsey, a World Cup winner in 2003, will stay on at the England team hotel and is determined to play an active part in the build-up to the final. "Sport can be a cruel thing but I will get behind the team. We started this on June 24 in military fatigues [on a training camp with the Royal Marines] and I am not going home yet," he said.England coach Brian Ashton has two options, either to recall Mark Cueto or keep Matthew Tait on the wing, where he finished Sunday's game, and Dan Hipkiss, who impressed as a replacement against France at centre.