The winner of the final becomes the most successful team in World Cup history and New Zealand v South Africa rarely disappoints
already but the pièce de résistance is still to come. The two top-ranked teams in the world, two traditional old rivals, only one winner. Even in France, where interest in this tournament has sagged appreciably since the host nation bowed out, there are widespread expectations of a high-quality final.
Which is why both nations are more intently focused on the opportunity now directly in front of them. One of these old adversaries is about to become the first team to win the Webb Ellis Cup four times and matches between the two are never, ever dull. South Africa are also seeking to be only the second team in RWC history to defend their world title successfully. The first? The All Blacks, of course, in 2015.
The alternative scenario is that South Africa’s forwards rip in ferociously and, having seized the initiative, are then replaced in the second half by another fresh army of green giants. It worked out well in their record 35-7 triumph at Twickenham in August but that was a warm-up game in which New Zealand had Scott Barrett sent off and were down to 13 men at one stage.
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