All the stats and facts for the World Cup final between South Africa and England in Yokohama on Saturday.
– The 2019 RWC final is a repeat of the 2007 final when South Africa won 15-6. It is the third time that a final has been repeated after England vs Australia (1991, 2003) and New Zealand vs France (1987, 2011).
– This will be the fifth RWC meeting between these two teams. South Africa have won three of the previous four and England have won one.
– England’s only World Cup victory over South Africa came in the 2003 pool phase, when England triumphed 25-6 in Perth. After that match, South Africa beat England twice at RWC 2007 – by 36-0 in the pool phase and by 15-6 in the final.
– South Africa are the only team in RWC history with a perfect record in finals. They won the only two they featured in (1995 and 2007).
– The Springboks scored 15 points to win both those RWC finals with all of their points coming from penalty goals (8) or drop goals (2). The Springboks have yet to score a try in a RWC final. They also have yet to concede a try in a RWC final.
ALSO READ: Kolbe back for World Cup final
– For the seventh time in nine World Cups, the final will be a contest between the northern and southern hemisphere. Teams from the southern hemisphere won five of those previous six finals.
– England can become the first team to beat all three Tri-Nations teams (Australia, New Zealand and South Africa) at a single World Cup.
– No winner of the Rugby World Cup ever lost a match in their campaign. South Africa can become the first to do so, having lost their RWC 2019 opener against New Zealand.
– No team have beaten England on more than three occasions at the Rugby World Cup. South Africa can become the first to make it four.
– In their 42 previous test encounters South Africa have won 25 and England 15, with two draws.
– England have won three of their past five Test matches against South Africa, including the two most recent: in Cape Town (June 2018) and at Twickenham (November 2018).
– England are the first team to reach the Rugby World Cup final after being eliminated at the pool phase in the previous World Cup.
ALSO READ: Siya’s story is massive for SA – Rassie
– Eddie Jones is the first foreign head coach to take a team to the World Cup final. Earlier in this tournament, he became the first head coach to beat his native country in a Rugby World Cup match.
– This will be England’s 50th World Cup match (excluding cancelled pool phase match at RWC 2019). England are the fourth team to reach that RWC half-century, after New Zealand, Australia and France.
– No country has managed to win The Rugby Championship (or predecessor Tri Nations) and the World Cup in the same year. South Africa could become the first team to do so.
– Frans Steyn, who is on the bench for South Africa on Saturday, played in both of the Springboks’ victories over England at the 2007 World Cup.
– Ben Spencer’s only involvement in England’s RWC 2019 campaign could come in the final. A player made his only appearance in the final twice before, both at RWC 2011: New Zealand’s Stephen Donald and France’s Jean-Marc Doussain.
– Siya Kolisi will make his 50th test appearance for South Africa. This will make him the 37th Springbok to reach the half-century.
ALSO READ: Erasmus to step down as Bok coach
– Frans Steyn is hoping to win World Cups 12 years apart, something that has so far only been achieved by fellow Springbok Os du Randt (1995, 2007). Du Randt and Steyn (then a 20-year-old) both started in the RWC 2007 final.
– Steyn can become the 21st player in RWC history to win the Webb Ellis Cup twice. Of the 20 who have achieved this, 14 are All Blacks, five are Wallabies and one is Os du Randt. Steyn has won all 16 of the Rugby World Cup matches he has featured in.
– Only one player has ever received a card during a RWC final. New Zealand’s Ben Smith became the first player to receive a yellow card in the tournament decider in 2015.
Photo: EPA/Facundo Arrizabalaga/BackpagePix
