RWC 2023 Final - New Zealand v South Africa, 28 October

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NEW ZEALAND v SOUTH AFRICA
28 October 2023
21:00 local time (CEST) (UTC+2)
Stade de France, Saint-Denis

Live on ITV/S4C

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Touch judges: Karl Dickson, Matthew Carley
Television match official: Tom Foley

A. Head to Head

105 Played 105
62 Won 39
4 Drawn 4
39 Lost 62
2185 Points 1728

B. Recent Form

25 September 2021
North Queensland Stadium, Townsville
19–17 to New Zealand

2 October 2021
Robina Stadium, Gold Coast
29–31 to South Africa

6 August 2022
Mbombela Stadium, Mbombela
26–10 to South Africa

13 August 2022
Ellis Park, Johannesburg
23–35 to New Zealand

15 July 2023
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
35–20 to New Zealand

25 August 2023
Twickenham Stadium, London
35–7 to South Africa

C. Teams

NEW ZEALAND
B Barrett; Jordan, Ioane, J Barrett, Telea; Mo'unga, Smith; De Groot, Taylor, Lomax, Retallick, S Barrett, Frizell, Cane (capt), Savea.

Replacements: Liernert-Brown for Jordan (71), McKenzie for Mo'unga (75), Christie for Smith (66), Williams for de Groot (66), Taukeiaho for Taylor (66), Papali'i for Retallick (71).Not Used: Laulala, Whitelock.

SOUTH AFRICA
Willemse; Arendse, Kriel, De Allende, Kolbe; Pollard, De Klerk; Kitshoff, Mbonambi, Malherbe, Etzebeth, Mostert, Kolisi (capt), Du Toit, Vermeulen.

Replacements: Fourie for Nbonambi (4) Le Roux for Willemse (66), Nche for Kitshoff (52), Kleyn for Etzebeth (58), Snyman for Mostert (52), Wiese for Kolisi (73), Smith for Vermeulen (58).

Willemse is killing the Boks any attempt to attack. Kick and kick badly seems to be his motto. Should change his allegiance to England and be the next Owen Farrell.

Why no advantage to the Boks? Far out they could have scored.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Willemse is killing the Boks any attempt to attack. Kick and kick badly seems to be his motto. Should change his allegiance to England and be the next Owen Farrell.

He'd be picked by Borthwick then as playing to the tactics.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Willemse is killing the Boks any attempt to attack. Kick and kick badly seems to be his motto. Should change his allegiance to England and be the next Owen Farrell.

It's laughable Sam....everyone's slated England and apparently the two best have served up this dirge....

Taylorman wrote:Why no advantage to the Boks? Far out they could have scored.

Forward pass.

No 7&1/2 wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:Willemse is killing the Boks any attempt to attack. Kick and kick badly seems to be his motto. Should change his allegiance to England and be the next Owen Farrell.

He'd be picked by Borthwick then as playing to the tactics.

Even when he instructs them to do something else the kicking badly motto springs forth. See Care and the pathetic drop goal attempt from the scrum in the 22 when England had advantage and a set move off Smith to run last night.

Got to say this final hasn't been a classic.

Hope we get some drama in the last 10.

I actually think a NZ try is needed to spice up the game! Forces SA to go for it.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:Willemse is killing the Boks any attempt to attack. Kick and kick badly seems to be his motto. Should change his allegiance to England and be the next Owen Farrell.

He'd be picked by Borthwick then as playing to the tactics.

Even when he instructs them to do something else the kicking badly motto springs forth. See Care and the pathetic drop goal attempt from the scrum in the 22 when England had advantage and a set move off Smith to run last night.

Yeah yeah. And it's all good when Ford kicks the everything the same and Youngs does the same. Its just weird.

when did they stop throwing straight in lineouts?

Can you lot whine about England's tactics on the England thread.

New Zealand pack it totally gassed.

Has been a terrible final. SA have played very defensively in the second half, despite their man advantage (for most of it).

No 7&1/2 wrote:

Taylorman wrote:Why no advantage to the Boks? Far out they could have scored.

Forward pass.

Ok didn’t see that. Ten mins to go. Hopefully that’s about the play. Close finish. One team gets four titles.

RDW wrote:Got to say this final hasn't been a classic.

Hope we get some drama in the last 10.

I actually think a NZ try is needed to spice up the game! Forces SA to go for it.

Its been terrible, SA look wrecked.

tigertattie wrote:New Zealand pack it totally gassed.

Their subs need to lift it. They've been kept back late presumably for that purpose.

RDW wrote:Got to say this final hasn't been a classic.

Hope we get some drama in the last 10.

I actually think a NZ try is needed to spice up the game! Forces SA to go for it.

Everyone has combined to make it a dour affair.
Be happy to rip off a freebie here

Last night and tonight have shown that the new format where there will be no rest week for the teams may not be a good idea

Sets up an interesting conclusion.

SA deserve to lose based on how they've approached this second half.

That was really dumb.

Duty281 wrote:Sets up an interesting conclusion.

SA deserve to lose based on how they've approached this second half.

Well and NZ having a try chalked off for an offence 5 or 6 phases beforehand.

Jordie Jordie

[quote="Soul Requiem"]That was really dumb.[/quote

Panicky by Kolbe wasn't it.

Why do players Chuck these miracle balls when they don’t need to. Just handed the ball back to the opposition for nowt

Mark Telea the wing/flanker got to be in a shout with man of the match if New Zealand snatch this.

Why are SA rushing poorly set up drop goals.

Both teams not making good decisions.

Got to say the scrums have been a great contest. AB scrum holding rock solid.

This final sums up this World Cup, really. Apart from that terrific QF weekend, it's been a very forgettable tournament.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Mark Telea the wing/flanker got to be in a shout with man of the match if New Zealand snatch this.

Dutoit by a mile regardless of who wins.
By a MILE.

In my opinion.

Taylorman wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:Mark Telea the wing/flanker got to be in a shout with man of the match if New Zealand snatch this.

Dutoit by a mile regardless of who wins.
By a MILE.

In my opinion.

mine too

Omg. How many times will SA get away with hands on the floor playing the ball

If anything comes out of this world Cup.. world rugby HAS to sort out the whole officiating of games.

It's an absolute inconsistent shambles.

That was a perfect opportunity for NZ. Ball kicked straight to a fresh McKenzie in the centre of the field, tired bodies everywhere. Did nothing with it.

Collapse2005 wrote:

Taylorman wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:Mark Telea the wing/flanker got to be in a shout with man of the match if New Zealand snatch this.

Dutoit by a mile regardless of who wins.
By a MILE.

In my opinion.

mine too

27 tackles they said a minute ago. About 10 of those he's absolutely melted the Kiwi on the receiving end. He's a very good shout.

Another 1 pt win?

All but South Africa’s.
Well done. This would have been a bonus for us who are proud to be even in this final

Two men won that game for SA

PSDT

Wayne Barnes

tigertattie wrote:Two men won that game for SA

PSDT

Wayne Barnes

Pathetic comment

I’d be interested in what percentage of the game we didn’t see or hear from Barnes.

tigertattie wrote:Two men won that game for SA

PSDT

Wayne Barnes

Sam Cane

Well Boks did it the hard way, with the draw they had, you can't take this away from them

Well done Boks

Commiserations to the All Blacks

Well done SA. They had the toughest run imaginable but managed to hold out - again!

Shame it was a pretty low quality final but SA won't care about that!

Well done Bokke, Old man aka Biltong.
Not the best celebration for the game but all kudos to the Boks.
They’re not our greatest rivals for nothing.
Enjoy!
If Dutoit is not POTM then more need to go to Specsavers.
He was awesome.

SA kept finding a way to win all through the KO stages. Rode out the French storm, nicked it at the end against a determined English effort, then ground it out against the All Blacks. Fair play. All one pointers? Extraordinary. Lottery-style odds on that.

Most successful team in RWC history.

lostinwales wrote:

tigertattie wrote:Two men won that game for SA

PSDT

Wayne Barnes

Sam Cane

PSDT and Barnes won it for SA

Sam Cane lost it for NZ

Only one team has ever won a world cup final without scoring a try, that team has done it three times.

tigertattie wrote:

lostinwales wrote:

tigertattie wrote:Two men won that game for SA

PSDT

Wayne Barnes

Sam Cane

PSDT and Barnes won it for SA

Sam Cane lost it for NZ

Revised. But still an absolute pathetic comment.

No 7&1/2 wrote:

tigertattie wrote:

lostinwales wrote:

tigertattie wrote:Two men won that game for SA

PSDT

Wayne Barnes

Sam Cane

PSDT and Barnes won it for SA

Sam Cane lost it for NZ

Revised. But still an absolute pathetic comment.

Not sure what Barnes did wrong really. Both sides pushed the boundaries in terms of laws excessively.

No 7&1/2 wrote:

tigertattie wrote:

lostinwales wrote:

tigertattie wrote:Two men won that game for SA

PSDT

Wayne Barnes

Sam Cane

PSDT and Barnes won it for SA

Sam Cane lost it for NZ

Revised. But still an absolute pathetic comment.

Why?

When a ref says “oops sorry that wasn’t actually a penalty there, but hey, I’ve given it now, please, take your shot at goal Mr Pollard” that’s just plain wrong

And the number of times a SA player was playing the ball off those feet!!! Christ one time Fourie was fully lying flat on his front and he handled the ball and pushed it back to the SA side.

tigertattie wrote:

lostinwales wrote:

tigertattie wrote:Two men won that game for SA

PSDT

Wayne Barnes

Sam Cane

PSDT and Barnes won it for SA

Sam Cane lost it for NZ

As much as I don’t like Cane as our 7 nor captain for me those situational things catch the offender just as much as the victim sometimes. Did Cane want to hit his head? No. Did he have the time to adjust for the potential problem? No.
He simply got caught out, a guy running at him and he tried to stop him.
Rules say it’s on you.

So off he goes. Reds are more marginal these days. They used to require malicious intent. Now they simply require poor positioning and a surprise factor.

Get away with clear hands on the floor again - seems to be a common theme.  

Well done to SA but they have had the benefit of some decidedly poor officiating ...

I know you can't say how the game would have gone afterwards but that clearly wrong early pen which Barnes apologised for could have been the difference ...