LONDON (Reuters) - Never has the old cabbage patch meant so much to so many so far away. Twickenham might be the spiritual home of English rugby but on Saturday it is the setting for a World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand.
For rugby fans the world over, it is a match that has all the ingredients of a classic: two traditional powerhouses with a long and acrimonious rivalry, both at the peak of their power, and playing for the greatest prize in rugby.
As Steve Hansen, the New Zealand coach whose deadpan delivery can be as blunt as his team's rolling mauls, dryly noted: "You've got two sides who are like-minded and want to play footy."
Despite the early exit of the host-nation, the 2015 World Rugby has been universally acclaimed as the finest ever, attracting record ticket sales of over 2.4 million (pounds?), unprecedented worldwide television viewing and generating record profits of 160 million pounds ($247 million).
From the moment Japan upset South Africa in the opening round, this has been a competition full of unrelenting drama and rugby of the highest order, and fittingly the two best teams are through to the final.
Australia (1991 and 1999) and New Zealand (1987 and 2011) have already won the World Cup twice each but this is the first time the two southern hemisphere giants have squared off in the decider.
As always, New Zealand are the favourites. For 24 years, the All Blacks were branded as chokers after slipping up at five successive World Cups but they rid themselves of the cruellest name in sport by winning four years ago and are an even better, more ruthless team now, losing just three of the 53 matches they have played since the last World Cup.
Led by their inspiring captain Richie McCaw, they sailed into the last four with consummate ease then showed they had the stomach for a fight when they held off South Africa 20-18 in the semi-finals.
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