The Springboks will be focusing on their strengths ahead of Saturday’s Rugby World Cup final against the All Blacks in Paris.

The World Cup is set for a dream final with both teams having won the tournament on three occasions in the past, while the Springboks are also the current title holders.

It will be the first time since 1995 that the two rivals lock-horns in the final, with the Boks having won the World Cup with a 15-12 victory on that occasion.

The All Blacks will be considered as the favourites this week following their dominant 44-6 win against Argentina on Friday in the semi-finals.

The Boks in turn had to grind to a one-point win for a second week in a row as they had to dig deep to defeat a determined England 16-15.

Cheslin Kolbe and Damian de Allende - RWC/Getty

The Springbok coach, Jacques Nienaber, who is in charge of the team for the last time this week, says the big strength of the squad is their never-say-die attitude.

“I must start with paying a lot of credit to England. I thought they were outstanding on the night. They had a very good tactical plan and they really put us under a lot of pressure.

“We will have to improve in terms of that, if New Zealand decide to maybe use the same tactic.

“It took us some time to get to grips with it. That is probably the strength of this team.

“They find a way, even if things are not going our way, to get a result. It took them probably 70 minutes to get a foothold in the game. They just refused to give up and they fought to the end so I am very proud of that.”

The last time South Africa and the All Blacks met was just before the World Cup in a warm-up Test played at Twickenham in London with the Springboks winning that game 35-7, however, come Saturday that counts for nothing.

It will be the fifth time that these two great rugby nations clash at a World Cup with the Boks winning the first two games. The All Blacks claimed victories in the quarter-finals in Australia in 2003, and during the opening match of the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

Ruan Pienaar - Getty

The Toyota Cheetahs scrumhalf, Ruan Pienaar, who won the World Cup in Paris in 2007, said it’s going to be very tough, but the Springboks do have the team to do the job.

“It takes a massive about of effort to get to a final and then there's one more 80-minute performance.

“We have the squad and we have the experience with guys in the team that have done it before, so “I'm excited to see what is going to happen.

“Both teams will be extremely positive going into this one. South Africa will be keen to make it back-to-back titles and New Zealand will try to get over 2019 when they failed to win it and had to settle for third.

“I'm looking forward to it and it should be a great final.”

Saturday’s final between the Springboks and All Blacks at Stade de France kicks off at 21:00.

Meanwhile, England’s Wayne Barnes has been appointed as the referee for the final.

Friday evening at 21:00 the Los Pumas of Argentina will tackle England in the bronze final.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport