Coaches pick fast and furious World Cup final

The All Blacks are predicting a World Cup final like no other on Saturday with New Zealand and Australia likely to take chances in a fast, open game.

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika believes it will be an "extremely physical" battle.

Many World Cup finals have been defensive, no risk affairs, but New Zealand coach Steve Hansen said that does not come naturally to the free-flowing All Blacks and Wallabies style.

"Given conditions are okay I think we'll see some running rugby," Hansen said Friday.

Cheika, who has claimed the underdog status in all week, said the All Blacks loved physical confrontation.

"It's pretty much their modus operandi, they have got great leg drive and I love that style of play," said Cheika.

"We want to bring physicality to the game too. It is also how you bring it technically and why you are doing it. It will be an interesting part of the game."

The World Cup final is ending with the top two seeds meeting in the final after 47 matches spread over six weeks.

- Third time lucky -

The triumphant team will be the first to win the Webb Ellis Cup three times.
If it is the All Blacks, will become the first team to win consecutive World Cups.

A Wallabies win will see them overtake the All Blacks to end their six-year reign as the number one ranked side.

The expansive rugby of the All Blacks and Wallabies, along with South Africa and Argentina, has been a talking point of the tournament.

Hansen said both New Zealand and Australia will feel the pressure in the final but he did not believe that would lead to a change in the style of their rugby.

"I think time has shown us time and time again the Australian team will play to their strengths and we always seem to play to ours," he said.
"The pressure will be on both teams, there's no doubt about that, but I don't think that will inhibit either one of them."

The two matches played between New Zealand Australia this year were both high-scoring spectaculars.

There were five tries when the Wallabies won 27-19 in Sydney, and six when the All Blacks won the return match in Auckland 41-13 a week later.

However, while the All Blacks coach was preparing for an open game he said there was no guarantee that would be reflected in the score.

"Whether that results in a lot of tries depends on how good the defence is. The opposition's got a lot of say in how well you play, but I know we've had a good week, we've prepared really well," he said.

While the Wallabies place a lot of faith in their back row of Michael Hooper, Scott Fardy and David Pocock, Hansen maintained they were not the focus of the All Blacks game plan.
"Back rows can only operate if your front five do the job. Rugby hasn't changed as long as most of us have been breathing," he said.

"The game's won in the tight five. If they go forward your loosies go forward and your backs go forward. Whoever does that will probably have the easier ride."

Australia's 35-12 victory over France in 1999 remains the highest scoring and highest winning margin in a World Cup final.

The closest final, and with the lowest score, was when the All Blacks beat France 8-7 in 2011.

Source: AFP