When and where is it on?
South Africa will play New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup final on Saturday night at Stade de France in Paris, kick-off is at 8pm.
How can I watch it?
You can watch this one anywhere you like, Virgin Media One, RTÉ2 and ITV1 all have it on their schedules. Virgin Media have a longer build-up from 6.30pm, whereas the other two start at 7pm. You can also follow the action on Irish Times Sport via our live blog.
How have both teams reached the final?
Both teams have reached the final having lost a game in the pool stages. South Africa, of course, lost to Ireland, while New Zealand lost to France. But when push came to shove, the southern hemisphere teams showed up. South Africa beat France and England by a point each, 29-28 and 16-15. New Zealand beat Ireland by four points, 28-24 and then demolished Argentina 44-6.
What is the history between the two sides?
The two greatest international teams in rugby union history, they’ve shared the last four Rugby World Cups between them – South Africa winning in 2007 and 2019, New Zealand winning in 2011 and 2015. Both are looking for their fourth Webb Ellis trophy. They have played each other 105 times in total, with the All Blacks leading 62 to 39, with four matches drawn. If we look at more recent history though, in the past 10 games since 2018, it’s 5-4 to New Zealand with one draw. This year New Zealand beat South Africa 35-20 in Auckland in the Rugby Championship, but were comprehensively beaten 35-7 by the Springboks in a warm-up game in August.
What to expect from the game?
A high level of rugby. The semi-finals were disappointing after the brilliant quarterfinals, although England gave South Africa quite the scare with their regimented kicking game. South Africa will need to improve from that error-strewn display but they will be playing a completely different proposition in the All Blacks, who will not be kicking for territory at every opportunity and will run the ball and pass with ball in hand to stretch the Springboks.
After a year of crisis in New Zealand rugby and for head coach Ian Foster in 2022, the All Blacks have kicked into another gear. They have scored an impressive 24 tries in their last three games against Tier One nations in this tournament, and as Ireland well know, they can be devastating when you give them a sniff of a try with players like Beauden Barrett, Ardie Savea and Will Jordan. South Africa will make things difficult for the All Blacks and will look to dominate the scrum, especially in the second half with their so-called “Bomb Squad” of forward replacements. If it is a tight game, Handre Pollard showed his quality from the tee with a brilliant winning penalty against England.
Team news
Handre Pollard, who kicked South Africa to an emphatic victory in the last Rugby World Cup final, will start again in this year’s decider with another controversial 7-1 split among the forwards and backs on the Springbok bench for Saturday’s decider against New Zealand.
Pollard, who scored 22 points when South Africa beat England 32-12 in the 2019 final in Japan, replaces Manie Libbok at outhalf while Faf de Klerk comes in at scrumhalf in two changes from the line-up that started last Saturday’s narrow 16-15 semi-final success over England. Former Ireland international Jean Kleyn is listed among the replacements. World Rugby found there was insufficient evidence to proceed with disciplinary action against South Africa’s Bongi Mbonambi after a second allegation he made a racial slur at England’s Tom Curry came to light, so the hooker starts.
South Africa: Damian Willemse; Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe; Handre Pollard, Faf de Klerk; Steven Kitshoff, Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe; Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert; Siya Kolisi (capt), Pieter-Steph du Toit, Duane Vermeulen.
Replacements: Deon Fourie, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, Jean Kleyn, RG Snyman, Kwagga Smith, Jasper Wiese, Willie Le Roux.
New Zealand’s Ian Foster has recalled Brodie Retallick in place of long-time sidekick Sam Whitelock, who drops to the bench as he seeks to become the first man to win three World Cup finals. Tight-head Nepo Laulala replaces Fletcher Newell in an attempt to counter the threat of Ox Nche.
New Zealand: Beauden Barrett; Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Mark Tele’a; Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith; Ethan de Groot, Codie Taylor, Tyrel Lomax; Brodie Retallick, Scott Barrett; Shannon Frizell, Sam Cane, Ardie Savea.
Replacements: Samisoni Taukei’aho, Tamaiti Williams, Nepo Laulala, Samuel Whitelock, Dalton Papali’i, Finlay Christie, Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown.
Who will referee the game?
England’s Wayne Barnes will take charge of the Rugby World Cup final. He is the world’s most-capped referee with 110 Tests having made his debut in 2006. Karl Dickson and Matthew Carley are his assistant referees with Tom Foley named as the Television Match Official.
