In advertising, we talk about briefs, pitches, pressure to deliver, accountability of teams and the all-important result. The Rugby World Cup final will be no different. Rightly so, New Zealand is the favourite to win - in what would be its third Rugby World Cup, set to air early on Sunday Morning at Twickenham in London.
It has winning form, and has been the most consistent rugby team on the planet for a long time now. So yes, the pressure to win is all with the mighty Kiwis.
The New Zealand public would be lying if they said they wouldn't have wanted a win from Argentina last Sunday. The last thing the Kiwis wanted was to play a resurgent Wallaby Team. This will play on the New Zealanders' minds.
The Wallabies team is a different outfit now under Michael Cheika - it has belief and determination that will be a significant factor come kick-off time on Sunday. It also knows how to win against this team, as the Sydney test will be rather fresh in their minds, particularly our domination upfront and at the breakdown. We know how to play them.
Here are my two cents' worth on why this Wallaby team will win the Rugby World Cup on Sunday.
The Brief - Keep it simple and focused. The Wallabies will need to deliver a mistake-free exhibition of rugby to win this game. It's not the time for experimentation. The New Zealand team do not make mistakes and are clinical in execution of the brief. Who wins the battle on defence, attack, scrums, breakdown? Can the New Zealand team nullify the world's leading rugby player, David Pocock?
The Pitch - Under-promise and over-deliver - the Wallabies have been guilty of talking it up and not delivering, but not this time. Cheika and his team are focused on one thing, which is all centred around the one thing ... the team. The individuals are gone. This pitch and promise of team unity will be the difference: they are like a band of wild boars in search of their next feed. For me, this will be the key factor, as New Zealand will be tested on mobility, particularly at the crucial breakdown. Pocock and Hooper are the key dangers for New Zealand.
The Pressure - This New Zealand team is the greatest of all time; make no mistake they are legends and their win/loss ratio is simply staggering. However, Rugby World Cup wins have been much harder for this great rugby nation. Away from Eden Park, they are simply a different team. The pressure gets to them, and they incredibly nearly lost the golden egg to the French at home in 2011. The nightmares of 1991, '95, '99, 2003 and '07 are still lingering and 2011 was deserved, but wow they really did make it hard for themselves. The Wallabies, on the other hand, have won two Rugby World Cups away from home: 1991 v England (Twickenham) and 1999 v France (Millennium Stadium Wales). For New Zealand, Twickenham is not Eden Park, and only a few years ago they received a walloping from the English team at this ground. Twickers is our fortress ... come Sunday, I believe this will be true.
Accountability - The Wallabies are now one mean united team, demonstrating a new willingness to succeed at the highest level - this one being the game of games! We will see this new culture rise to the challenge come Sunday.
Result - Australia by 17.
James is open to a wager if anyone wants to take it on.