New Zealand had a walk, South Africa had a hard-fought mud fight with a last-minute decision. Which in the end is the more useful way to the final rugbyWorld Cup will only become apparent on Saturday (October 28th, 2023 / 9 p.m.) in the Stade de France in Paris.
But one thing is already certain. After a whopping 51 days, this epically long World Championship will have a new record champion before midnight on Saturday. The “All Blacks” from New Zealand and the “Springboks” from South Africa have so far won three titles in their proud rugby history, and no nation has ever won the “Webb Ellis Cup” (or at least the replica of it) four times in its trophy cabinet.
It’s a 38 centimeter high handle pot made of gilded silver, made by the traditional gold and silversmith Garrard & Co. in London. This trophy owes its name to William “Bill” Webb Ellis, who is considered the inventor of the game of rugby.
Neither were among the favorites
New Zealand won the “Bill,” as players sometimes call it a bit derisively, in 1987, 2011 and 2015. South Africa 1995, 2007 and 2019, so they are defending champions. Before this tournament in 2023, both were no longer considered favorites, Ireland and hosts France were rated higher.
But the French failed in the quarter-finals against South Africa, just as narrowly as the English in the semi-finals. They even led until three minutes before the end before Handré Pollard’s penalty to make it 16:15 turned the game in the direction of South Africa in doomsday weather.
“Just as ugly as last week”
South Africa’s captain Siya Kolisi’s analysis then went around the world because it sounded wonderfully self-critical, honest and yet extremely proud: “It was really ugly, but that’s what champions are made of. All the hard work paid off. Kudos to England, but also to my team. It was just as ugly as last week, but we found a way and fought back.”
South Africa’s magic foot Pollard looks back and then ahead: “We fought and never gave up. That’s what we stand for as a team and as a nation. But now we need a good plan for the final.”
Woe betide you if you let New Zealand play…
This could be to involve the strong New Zealanders in a struggle that is just as tough as France and England before them. The All Blacks showed what they can do with too much space and too little physical resistance in their semi-final against Argentina, which they won 44-6 – it will be a warning to South Africa.
One of the key players is in great form: Will Jordan scored his sixth to eighth attempts in the current World Cup in this game, setting the tournament record.
Coach was already on the verge of expulsion
The All Blacks were not even expected to achieve this feat at home. Coach Ian Foster was on the verge of being thrown out after six defeats in eight test matches between November 2021 and August 2022. The 58-year-old kept his job but will now step down after the World Cup.
What Foster did sensationally well is the improvement over the course of the tournament. The New Zealanders had lost the opening game on September 8th 13:27, but now they dismantled Argentina into its individual parts using all the rules of rugby.
It will be windy and wet
Considering their possibilities, the All Blacks will definitely go into the showdown as favorites (live on ProSiebenMAXX). But the moment South Africa manages to turn the situation into an ugly mud fight again, it all no longer means anything. What speaks for it: At 9 p.m. on Saturday in Paris, gusts of over 60 kilometers per hour and pouring rain are forecast.