New Zealand and South Africa will contest Saturday's Rugby World Cup final and bring one of sport's most enduring, most intense rivalries to the ultimate stage for the first time in nearly 30 years.
The All Blacks and the Springboks — with 102 years of games between them — have met in the Rugby World Cup final just once before, a 1995 showdown that carved out a moment that reverberated way beyond sport.
Both teams have won two Rugby World Cups after '95, but never against the other, and to understand the meaning of New Zealand vs. South Africa this weekend at Stade de France in Paris, think Brazil vs. Argentina in a soccer World Cup final.
The All Blacks were then beaten by host France in the World Cup opener.
___AP Rugby World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
Persons:
It's, —, Nelson Mandela, Deon Davids, ” Davids, Ian Foster, “ There’s, Foster, ”, Jacques Nienaber, — Sam Cane
Organizations:
Rugby, Blacks, Springboks, New Zealand, Stade de France, South, South Africa —, Ireland, ” STEELY SPRINGBOKS South, France, England, AP Rugby
Locations:
Zealand, South Africa, New Zealand, New, Africa, Paris, Brazil, Argentina, France, ” STEELY SPRINGBOKS South Africa, — Sam Cane of New Zealand