The two teams with three Rugby World Cup triumphs apiece regard today’s final as a once-in-a-lifetime occasion.
New Zealand and South Africa have won six of the nine World Cups.
Whoever triumphs will make history by lifting the Webb Ellis Cup for a fourth time.
Of course, this is not even the first final between the All Blacks and the Springboks — and yet both consider this Stade de France contest as unique.
The history and supremacy of both teams would argue otherwise. But when Sam Cane, Ian Foster, Siya Kolisi and Jacques Nienaber talk, the entire rugby globe listens.
“I don’t think it will happen again in our lifetime to have two teams like this meet in a World Cup final,” said South Africa captain Kolisi.
The defending champion Springboks against the resurgent All Blacks. The immovable object against the irresistible force.
When South Africa battered New Zealand 35-7 at Twickenham on August 25, no one predicted this final.
The Springboks flexed their World Cup champion status by inflicting the All Blacks’ heaviest defeat in history.
Ireland entered this World Cup as No1 in the world. Some eight weeks later, the final is a battle of the top two in the rankings.
As recently as August 2022, New Zealand were a record-low fifth in the world, having suffered a maiden home Test series defeat by Ireland a month earlier. Their turnaround has been remarkable.
Now, rugby’s two most traditional powers, the game’s heavyweights, will stand toe-to-toe — and trade blows for as long as anyone will let them.
“It’s probably the biggest rugby game there has ever been,” said South Africa head coach Nienaber. For both teams, it will be all-change after this match. Ian Foster will be replaced by Scott Robertson at the New Zealand helm, while Boks boss Nienaber is heading to Leinster.
Kolisi can make history by becoming the first captain to swipe consecutive World Cup crowns, and at 32 knows his chances of making the Australia tournament in 2027 are perhaps beyond even his own superhuman bounds.
Three clashes key to deciding World Cup final
Scott Barrett vs Eben Etzebeth
Two enforcers who will be desperate to take physical control. The two locks will want to dominate the lineout, the scrum and the breakdown. Whichever powerhouse can put their side on the front foot will give their team a big chance. Both will have to keep their cool in the heat of battle however, with discipline key.
Aaron Smith vs Faf De Klerk
South Africa have gambled on extra forward power and not put a recognised scrum-half on their bench, so De Klerk will have to go the full 80 minutes. The former Sale half-back is up to the challenge but will be facing one of his toughest opponents in the veteran Smith, who wants his last All Blacks game to end in a blaze of glory.
Sam Cane vs Siya Kolisi
The captains and flankers hold great respect for each other, but also no fear of going toe-to-toe. New Zealand skipper Cane will need one of his best-ever performances to subdue his South African counterpart and the Springboks as a whole. Kolisi could become the first man to captain a team to back-to-back World Cup triumphs.
All Blacks skipper Cane might have more chance of another tournament, but the abrasive openside flanker has some serious miles on the clock, especially given his relentless playing style.
“We’ll need to be better than we were against Ireland in the quarter-final,” said Cane, well aware many neutrals rate the All Blacks’ 28-24 victory in the last eight as one of the best Tests of all time.
Foster believes the stakes may never be higher. He said: “The 1995 final between the sides was epic. Hopefully this will be the same. Then you do the maths and someone is going to win a fourth title, and that’s a special occasion.”
South Africa have only one back on their bench, and seven forwards. The Boks might as well engrave the word subtlety on their sledgehammer.
New Zealand will look to run the Boks off their ultra-physical feet. In flying wing Will Jordan, they boast a man who needs just one more try to set a single World Cup record return of nine scores.
They say the Webb Ellis Cup shines silver under the light of photographers’ flash bulbs — they being the 19 players across both New Zealand and South Africa playing in the final who already know that for a fact.
That group — five All Blacks and 14 Springboks — have already lifted the World Cup.
New Zealand’s Sam Whitelock is bidding to become the first man to put his mitts on the silverware three times, to add to glory in 2011 and 2015.
Only those who have won the competition are allowed to touch the trophy.
Tomorrow some familiar fingerprints will again adorn the ultimate prize: whether Bok or All Black, the victor will have Test rugby in the palm of their hands.
