Both have strong ties with their nation’s teams, with Qantas holding the naming rights for the Australian side.
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At least one of them has been in every final, except 2007.
All Blacks captain Richie McCaw said: “I don’t really care how the game is as long as we win”.
They then went to Eden Park the following week for the second match of the Bledisloe Cup, made a few changes, and were blown away by New Zealand 41-13. A lot of people might have said “enough’s enough, I will chuck it in” but he stuck with it, and the big thing this season is he has had the ability to play game after game after game.
While Cheika might have rested easy in his bed if Folau had failed to pass muster – the former rugby league and Aussie rules player has been less captivating than usual over the course of this tournament, so the coach must have been tempted to run the brilliant Kurtley Beale in his place – the loss of Sio would have wrecked his peace of mind. But he has aces up his sleeve with Pocock a hot contender for player of the tournament.
On the other side of the coin, Pocock himself is just grateful for a World Cup final appearance.
Despite his bruising experience as head coach of Wales from 2002-04, Hansen said he felt better suited to the top job rather than an assistant, as he was with the All Blacks for seven years. “I couldn’t be happier with where we are at. Once again, we’d like to thank them for all their good wishes and support, and we’ll be looking to put in a performance all of us can be proud of”.
The winners will be announced at an awards dinner in London on Sunday, a day after Australia and New Zealand contest the World Cup final at Twickenham.
“We’ll be doing our best to make Australia proud of its rugby team”.
If the breakdown is going to be decisive, it is on the wings where the action will be. As he had already said he would retire after the World Cup, that brought down the curtain on a 118-cap career. The All Blacks faced Argentina, France and South Africa.
Devastating All Blacks flanker Jerome Kaino went a step further, forgetting altogether who was starting in the Wallabies’ back-row – which has been pegged as the key to victory at Twickenham. Matt Giteau (101 Tests), 13. Foley is not sound defensively but will have Scott Fardy close by.
Folau, the leading light in Australian rugby for the past two years, has been uncharacteristically subdued at the tournament – failing to score a try, spark the attack or look steady under the high ball.
Cheika, masterminding Australia’s campaign to win the World Cup for a third time, welcomed the return of Brumbies prop Sio. That was never more evident than in 2007, when New Zealand failed to set up for a drop goal until it was ultimately too late and lost to France in the quarterfinals. No matter what code, what occasion.
Hansen said he was always going to start the same XV in the final, and choose Crockett in the reserves.
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Australia’s two World Cup successes have both been in the northern hemisphere.
