Under-19 World Cup Final/South Africa v New Zealand:"It was a physical encounter and we will expect the same from South Africa. I don't think we have peaked yet but a semi-final win is a win."
So said New Zealand Under-19s captain Chris Smith after they beat Wales 36-12 in the semi-final.
Indeed everyone who played the Baby Boks in this tournament has said the same thing. Their giant pack has been the talk of Belfast and they will go into this final against New Zealand today at Ravenhill as the marginal favourites.
Three times winners of the competition, South Africa are anxious to bounce back after a disappointing showing in Dubai (eighth) last season.
Neither of the two finalists had much difficulty in their semi-final games and as the Baby Blacks cruised through against the Welsh so did the Boks by outmuscling the defending champions, Australia, 32-18.
"The pressure from the South African pack didn't allow us any quality ball. Crucial mistakes in the first half cost us," said the Australian captain, Brett Gillespie after the defeat.
New Zealand should expect much of the same and the match will hinge on how the Kiwis control their opponents' pack.
The scoring statistics so far tell the story of a rampant New Zealand.
They have scored 32 tries (Kade Poki leading the tournament with five) to South Africa's 17, while Daniel Kirkpatrick has kicked 37 points and is New Zealand's top scorer.
Centre Stefan Watermeyer has landed 35 points for South Africa so there is little between them there, though given the Kiwis' massive try haul, you would have expected more points from the boot too.
"We're confident," said the South African captain, Gerrit van Velze. "We don't want our heads to be in the clouds now and forget why we are here."
Nobody would accuse them of that.
NEW ZEALAND: T Renata; Z Guildford, R Fruean, R Crotty, K Poki; D Kirkpatrick, W Ngaluafe; R Ah You, A Dixon, B Afeaki; C Smith (captain), S Whitelock; P Saili, L Braid, N Manu. Replacements: Q MacDonald, P Fa'anunu, N Barrett, T Crowley, J Townsend, J Hardie, M Cameron, J Willison, W Stanley, K Pisi, S Maitland.
SOUTH AFRICA: W Pietersen; B Botha, S Dippenaar, S Watermeyer, V Willis; F Brummer, F Hougaardt; C Fourie, H Bantjies, F Kirsten; C Hess, M Muller; T Marole; J van Deventer, GJ van Veltze (captain).
