The countdown continues ahead of Saturday’s big Rugby World Cup final between the Springboks and the All Blacks in Paris.

It is a dream final and it will be the first time that two arch rivals lock-horn in the championship match in 28-years.

The Springbok team selection will be crucial, while their counterparts from New Zealand are very settled and there are expected to be no surprises at all.

There have been calls for Ox Nche and Handré Pollard to start the Test, and with wet weather expected, this may just be the case.

Sadly, at this stage the Bongi Mbonambi incident has still not been resolved, and reports out of France indicate that World Rugby are now looking for evidence of a racial slur directed at Tom Curry from last year’s Test between the Boks and England at Twickenham.

Daan Human - Morgan Piek

One aspect of the game that will be huge on Saturday is going to be the scrum, which is a powerful weapon in the Boks arsenal.

While the Bok scrum is arguably the best in the world, the scrum coach Daan Human said they are not quite the finished product yet.

“We have worked hard in the last four years to get to this match.

“It will always be a part of the way we play, like the lineout, maul, kicking game. We can strive to get better, we are not where we want to be yet.

“If it plays a big role in the final it would be good, but we're still working on a perfect picture.”

Dalton Papalii - Getty

Meanwhile, in the All Blacks cap there is a quiet confidence heading into the final and the target a record-breaking fourth title as well.

The All Blacks have had a remarkable turnaround in the last year and they are being considered as the favourites to win.

It will all of course depend on how well they deal with the Springboks ‘bomb squad’.

The All Blacks flanker, Dalton Papalii, said they have an answer to the Springbok bench, which is in reference to the legendary World War II Airborne unit, Easy Company.

“I'll tell you a quick story, I've got a little group happening in the team room at our hotel and we're watching Band of Brothers and the 101st Airborne and their Easy Company,” said Papali’I.

“So, I made a little joke saying 'you know they've got the 'Bomb Squad', so we could have the 'Easy Company'. We want to go and finish the job and be in the trenches.

“Talking about the Bomb Squad, man they've proven themselves. They can come on and change a game like that. So, we sort of need to identify whoever is on the bench and that, need to really be screwed on up top and give it hell.”

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

Morgan Piek OFM Sport