Rugby World Cup 2023 Final: South Africa vs New Zealand
The stage is set for an epic showdown as South Africa and New Zealand, both three-time World Cup winners, go head-to-head in the final of the 2023 Rugby World Cup at Stade de France. This highly anticipated match brings together two longstanding rivals from the Southern Hemisphere who have had contrasting paths in this competition.
South Africa, led by captain Siya Kolisi, and New Zealand, led by captain Sam Cane, will battle it out on Saturday, October 28th, for the ultimate prize in international rugby. The match will be broadcast live on the France 24 website, allowing fans from around the world to witness this momentous event.
One of the key factors in South Africa’s success throughout this tournament has been the “bomb squad”. Comprised of the replacements who come off the bench to make game-changing contributions, this group has been instrumental in the Springboks’ victories. As former South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus explained during the 2019 World Cup, they are either brought on to rectify the situation or serve as a false alarm.
This strategy has once again proved effective in the knockout stages of the 2023 World Cup. Against France in the quarter-finals, the replacements were introduced as early as the 45th minute, making an immediate impact on the outcome of the game. The trend continued in the semi-finals against England, with the “bomb squad” providing vital reinforcements for the Springboks.
In the final against New Zealand, South Africa has opted to further strengthen their forward pack, adding a second-rower and a back-rower among their eight replacements. The team aims to assert their physical dominance in the set-pieces and breakdowns, denying the All Blacks the opportunity to launch attacking plays. This approach has proved successful in the past, as demonstrated in their 35-7 victory over New Zealand in August, where the Springbok forwards dominated the match.
However, the All Blacks have shown significant improvement throughout the tournament, particularly in their performance against Argentina in the semi-finals, where they won convincingly by a score of 44-6. Despite their loss to France in the opening match, New Zealand bounced back and found their rhythm as the tournament progressed. They have chosen a more balanced bench, consisting of five forwards and three backs, aiming to rely on their technical skills and agility to outmaneuver the physically formidable Springboks.
This clash between South Africa and New Zealand is one of the greatest rivalries in international rugby. Over the past 15 years, the Springboks have emerged victorious in 10 out of the 33 encounters, including a draw. This makes them one of the few teams to have a positive win record against the mighty All Blacks. The intensity of this rivalry adds another layer of excitement to an already thrilling final.
As the two powerhouses of Southern Hemisphere rugby go head-to-head, both teams will be looking to etch their names in history by lifting the Webb Ellis Cup for the fourth time. The final promises to be a spectacle of skill, strength, and determination as South Africa and New Zealand battle it out for rugby supremacy. Fans around the world eagerly await this showdown, as the teams aim to etch their names in the annals of rugby history.