Rugby World Cup Final 2015: Top Storylines in New Zealand vs. Australia
New Zealand will have their chance to become the first nation ever to win back-to-back World Cups next Saturday at Twickenham, London, but the not-so-small matter of beating Australia separates them and a 2015 triumph.
This will be the 155th meeting between the two bitter rivals, but it represents their first time facing off in the final of a World Cup after clashing in the semis in three of the past seven tournaments.
The World Cup can sometimes be blotted by a sense of controversy in who makes it to the curtain call, but we can all rest assured this year's competition very much sees the two best teams contending for the top prize.
A dramatic week of waiting lies between now and Saturday's Twickenham kickoff, but we provide discussion of the biggest storylines currently surrounding New Zealand and Australia's Rugby World Cup 2015 final.
1. Fourth Time's the Charm
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This year will mark the fourth World Cup final for each team, with the All Blacks having made it to the fixture in 1987, 1995 and 2011, while the Wallabies contested the final in 1991, 1999 and 2003.
It's also a coincidence that each team is chasing their third Webb Ellis trophy this weekend and will each bid to become the competition's most successful team outright.
The All Blacks may have have the greater motivation to go on and achieve that hat-trick considering the added pride at stake of a potential back-to-back triumph.
However, after going through the doldrums under previous coaches, Australia once again look capable of wonders in the short time Michael Cheika has led the team, with no better way to crystallise that resurgence than World Cup glory.
2. The McCaw Conundrum
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New Zealand fans the world over breathed a collective sigh of relief on Monday after it was revealed captain Richie McCaw had not been cited for a suspicious-looking clash with South Africa's Francois Louw on Saturday.
The New Zealand Herald's Jared Savage reported McCaw would be free to line up in the final after avoiding any suspension, although Springboks and Wallabies fans may look back at the apparent elbow with scrutiny.
The beautiful thing about rugby is that, unlike other sports, the community tends to move past controversies and judiciary decisions such as this fairly swiftly, and rightfully so if we're to give the powers that be due respect.
But that controversy may not have subsided for some just yet, as a few will question whether the All Blacks' most influential player should be permitted to lace up for what will be his last (and arguably most important) Test cap.
3. A Bledisloe Battle for the Ages
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World Cup meetings between New Zealand and Australia don't officially count as Bledisloe Cup fixtures, but while that trophy isn't at stake, all the connotations of that rivalry will be revived in London on Saturday.
The All Blacks have dominated this matchup in recent years and not too long ago enjoyed a 10-match unbeaten run against the Wallabies, running from 2011 through 2014.
However, Australia have the added bonus of having already defeated their trans-Tasmanian foes once this year to claim the 2015 Rugby Championship, treated almost as the dawn of a new age for the national team.
It may not count toward any Bledisloe series or official tally, but the biggest-ever meeting between two titanic powers of the sport is sure to result in some added fireworks as the rivalry is resumed.
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4. Breaking New Ground
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It's an amazing omen for Australia to know that each of their previous World Cup wins, in 1991 and 1999, came in British territory, with the first of those being at Twickenham and the second at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
New Zealand, on the other hand, have never made it to the final of a World Cup being played in the northern hemisphere, making 2015 a breakthrough year for the All Blacks.
What's more, this will be just the second time two southern-hemisphere nations have contested a Rugby World Cup final and their first time doing so in the northern hemisphere. South Africa beat New Zealand 15-12 in the only other example of an all-southern-hemisphere final in Johannesburg 21 years ago.
It's recently been discussed at length just how damning it is that 2015 proved to be the first year not even one European nation made it to the final four, but the revolution isn't set to stop there.
5. The Old Guard's Goodbye
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Each and every New Zealand knockout match at this tournament has been greeted with a raft of questions as to whether it would be the last time we saw New Zealand's old guard in action—but now we know.
McCaw will be one of those to very likely earn his final All Blacks Test cap against Australia alongside Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith and Keven Mealamu, while Tony Woodcock has played his final game.
That bunch boast an awe-inspiring 702 international caps between them, with McCaw the most decorated and preparing to claim his 148th this weekend, while Smith is the least seasoned with a mere 93 to his name.
It's no coincidence what could be regarded for generations as New Zealand's golden era came under the watch of this group, and each will seek to sign off with one more story for the history books on Saturday.
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