The Showdown

The highly anticipated Rugby World Cup final is set to take place as South Africa, the defending champions, go head to head against New Zealand, the winners in 2011 and 2015. This mouthwatering clash will see the last two winners of the tournament compete for ultimate glory.

South Africa's Narrow Path

South Africa secured their place in the final with a nail-biting one-point victory over England in the semi-finals. They also triumphed over France in the previous round by just one point. The Springboks are determined to repeat their success and claim back-to-back titles.

New Zealand's Dominance

On the other hand, New Zealand had a smoother journey to the final, bouncing back after losing their tournament opener to France. They comfortably defeated Argentina in the semi-finals with an impressive scoreline of 44-6. The All Blacks are eager to add another Rugby World Cup victory to their illustrious record.

A Clash of Titans

The Stade de France will witness a rematch of the iconic 1995 Rugby World Cup final, where South Africa emerged victorious on home soil. Now, both teams are vying to etch their names in history once again. Will Sam Cane or Siya Kolisi be the one to lift the coveted Webb Ellis Cup?

Team News

New Zealand coach Ian Foster is rumored to make changes to his bench to counter South Africa's formidable "Bomb Squad." Hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho and prop Nepo Laulala may be brought in to bolster the scrum. There are also concerns about Richie Mo’unga's fitness, potentially paving the way for Damian McKenzie to step in at No10.

Meanwhile, Bongi Mbonambi will start for South Africa after being cleared of racism allegations made by England's Tom Curry in the semi-finals. Faf de Klerk and Handre Pollard, who played crucial roles in the 2019 final, will also return to the starting lineup.

Players to Watch

Will Jordan of the All Blacks has been a standout performer in this tournament, scoring the most tries with eight. His speed will be a key asset in unlocking South Africa's formidable defense. On the other side, Eben Etzebeth has been a force to be reckoned with in the Springboks' second row, delivering powerful displays throughout the tournament.

Prediction

Anticipate a closely contested match, with New Zealand expected to come out on top.

Match Details and Live Streaming

The New Zealand vs South Africa Rugby World Cup Final will take place tonight at 8pm BST at the Stade de France. Fans can catch all the action live on ITV1, with coverage starting at 7:15pm. The match can also be streamed for free via the ITVX app/website. For real-time updates, you can follow SunSport's live blog.

Team Lineups

New Zealand:

Backs: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Mark Tele’a, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Aaron Smith.

Forwards: 1 Ethan de Groot, 2 Codie Taylor, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 4 Brodie Retallick, 5 Scott Barrett, 6 Shannon Frizell, 7 Sam Cane (captain), 8 Ardie Savea.

Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Tamaiti Williams, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Samuel Whitelock, 20 Dalton Papali’i, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Damian McKenzie, 23 Anton Lienert-Brown.

South Africa:

Backs: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Faf de Klerk.

Forwards: 1 Steven Kitshoff, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 3 Frans Malherbe, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Franco Mostert, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 7 Pieter-Steph Du Toit, 8 Duane Vermeulen.

Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Jean Kleyn, 20 RG Snyman, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Jasper Wiese, 23 Willie Le Roux.

Odds:

New Zealand win: 8/11

Draw: 17/1

South Africa win: 13/10

*Odds courtesy of Paddy Power and are correct at the time of publication.