A predictable, boring Boks-All Blacks clash … or a potential World Cup classic?

So, after seven weeks of action and 46 matches it’ll come down to either the Springboks or All Blacks winning the World Cup. Again.

How very boring. These two teams have been the dominant forces at the Rugby World Cup since the very beginning.

Now if only another team, perhaps France or Ireland or Wales … or Argentina or Japan had made it through, then it wouldn’t be so tedious and dull and lacking in spice!

Both the Boks and All Blacks have won the Webb Ellis Cup three times — the All Blacks in 1987, 2011 and 2015 and the Boks in 1995, 2007 and 2019. Australia have won it twice, in 1991 and 1999, while the only northern hemisphere team to have gone all the way are England in 2003.

Also, for the record, the Boks and All Blacks have between them won the last four World Cups — in 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019.

Northern opportunity

It’s no wonder the fans and players up north are fed-up and desperate to get their hands on the biggest trophy in the game, and this year was seen by many as their best chance to add to England’s win all those years ago.

Ireland and France were punted as genuine title contenders this year, and rightly so, but such was the draw that both ended up having seriously tough quarter-final games, which they lost, to the All Blacks and Boks respectively. England were somewhat fortunate to make it to the semi-finals, but then were minutes away from making it through, before being beaten by the Boks.

New Zealand’s All Blacks, as expected, thumped Argentina in their semi-final … also very predictable.

Boks v All Blacks

As it’s turned out, the Boks and All Blacks will now clash once again, as they’ve done so many times in the past — but on this occasion for the biggest prize in the game, for just the second time, after their meeting in the final in 1995.

I don’t think too many rugby fans actually thought it would happen, such was the form of the All Blacks in the last two years and after being hammered 35-7 by the Boks in a pre-World Cup match.

Also, who would have thought, following the Boks squeaking past France and England by a point in both matches, and the All Blacks smashing Argentina, that the men from New Zealand would be regarded as the favourites going into the final — as they were in South Africa in 1995. Coach Ian Foster must be having a little chuckle inside after nearly being fired last year.

The 106th meeting between the Boks and All Blacks this Saturday in Paris might not be the most attractive final out there, especially for those watching up north, but there’s a World Cup trophy on the line and if recent matches between the teams are anything to go by, it could be an all-time classic.