New Zealand vs Australia preview: What time does the Rugby World Cup final start, what channel is it on and where an I watch it?
A look ahead to the World Cup Final at Twickenham
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Your support makes all the difference.The climax of the greatest tournament we have seen features the two best teams in the world in one final showdown as New Zealand and Australia stand a chance to lift the Webb Ellis trophy for the third time, becoming the first team to do so.
It’s a big game for…
Dan Carter, Ma’a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Kevin Mealamu and Richie McCaw: For these five, it is a final match in more than one way. The first four have confirmed they will hang up the black jersey after this game after an incredible playing career between them, while it's expected that McCaw will call it a day too. McCaw will be considering retiring completely while the others will be returning to club duties. Perhaps it’s worth a mention of Matt Giteau - the only Australia who played in their last World Cup final in 2003.
Teams...
New Zealand: Ben Smith; Nehe Milner-Skudder, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Julian Savea; Dan Carter, Aaron Smith; Joe Moody, Dane Coles, Owen Franks; Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock; Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw, Kieran Read.
Replacements: Keven Mealamu, Ben Franks, Charlie Faumuina, Victor Vito, Sam Cane, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Beauden Barrett, Sonny Bill Williams.
Australia: Israel Folau; Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tevita Kuridrani, Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell; Bernard Foley, Will Genia; Scott Sio, Stephen Moore, Sekope Kepu; Kane Douglas, Rob Simmons; Scott Fardy, Michael Hooper, David Pocock.
Replacements: Tatafu Polota-Nau, James Slipper, Greg Holmes, Dean Mumm, Ben McCalman, Nick Phipps, Matt Toomua, Kurtley Beale.
Weird stats…
0: Fittingly, the number most shaped like a rugby ball holds so many statistics about these two teams. It is the number of World Cup games Australia have lost (out of six,) the number of times a World Cup has been retained, the number of World Cup finals the All Blacks have won outside of New Zealand and the number of times the Wallabies have faced the Kiwis in a World Cup final. Some records are made to be broken.
Remember when…
New Zealand turned it around? After they fell to the Australians in Sydney, the All Blacks brought the fight back to them in Auckland. The Wallabies were outclassed in a way none would have expected, given how they played a week previously. But the controversial selections made by Michael Cheika, which included disbanding the Hooper/Pocock combination and bringing in Quade Cooper, meant the Wallabies never really had their best team on the field.
Player to watch…
Adam Ashley-Cooper: the 31 year old wing-cum-centre-cum-fullback is one of the most versatile in the game, and he has shown he can still mix it up with the best of them. He has an impressive scoring record in the knockout stages, having scored one against Scotland and a hat-trick against Argentina.
Past three-meetings…
New Zealand 41 (Coles, Penalty Try, Smith, Nonu) – Australia 13 (Folau) Bledislow Cup II, August 2015.
Australia 27 (Kepu, Ashley-Cooper, White) – New Zealand 19 (Milner-Skudder) Rugby Championship, August 2015.
Australia 28 (Phipps, Foley, Ashley-Cooper) – New Zealand 29 (Jane, Coles, Smith, Fekitoa) Bledislow Cup III, October 2014.
Form guide…
New Zealand: WWWWWW
Australia: WWWWWW
Vital information…
Kick-off: 16.00 Saturday 31st October.
TV: Live on ITV, highlights on ITV
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