Britain, winners in Sydney with Steve Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent on board and again in Athens, came through fast Australian and French crews to enter the final as favorites in one of the blue ribbon events of the regatta.
But the Netherlands, bronze medalists at the 2007 world championships and among the medal favorites, failed to make the final after finishing fourth behind Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Germany in the second semi-final.
World champions New Zealand also failed to make the final.
"We've come a long way from the heat and we'll have to step on again," Britain's Steve Williams, who won gold with Pinsent in Athens, told reporters. "And having seen where we've come in three days I'd back us (to do that)."
The home crowd had reason to cheer in the first A class semi-final when Zhang Xiuyun won comfortably to make the final where she will meet Ekaterina Karsten of Belarus, the favorite and holder of two Olympic gold single scull medals and one silver.
In the men's smaller boats, New Zealand struggled with three-times world champion Mahe Drysdale finishing third behind his long-time rival Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic and Britain's Alan Campbell. All three still qualified.
New Zealand's men's double scull of Sydney Olympic single scull champion Rob Waddell, returning after a seven-year break, and partner Nathan Cohen also finished third to qualify for the final but they will have to race from one of the outside lanes.
"I don't think it was our best row ... but it's better to be in the outside lane than not be there," Waddell told reporters.
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