Callum Bates
NEW Zealand and South Africa will be battling to become the first team to win the Rugby World Cup for the fourth time in Sunday’s final showdown in Paris.
In a repeat of the 1995 final South Africa could be the only second team to successfully defend the Rugby World cup, second to the team they face New Zealand.
All Blacks lock Sam Whitelock who may become the first player to win the World Cup on three different occasions.
As for New Zealand whenever they have made it to a Rugby World cup final they have never conceded a try in a final on three different occasion in their three World cup wins (1995, 2007, 2019).
All of their World Cups wins have been 12 years apart from each other so a win on Sunday at the Stade de France will break the streak.
Last time out between these two sides Springboks thrashed the All Blacks 35-7 back in August 2023, so New Zealand will have massively improve and hope their forwards are up to scratch this time around.
All Blacks coach Jason Ryan said “We’ve got trust in our plan this week and we believe we will be able to be there right until the end.”
Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber said“I’m not going to say what the strengths and weaknesses of the All Blacks are, that would be stupid. But a lot of analysis went into it and at the end we went with a squad of 23.
