ANALYSIS
"It's going to stir meat, it's going to be a little butcher Bernard de Rungis in the morning at 5am". For our consultant Éric Blanc, the final of the Rugby World Cup between South Africa and England, which takes place this Saturday at 10am, looks very tight. And rough.
"You have two fierce teams, with long teeth, we remember the final in 2007, when South Africa beat England (15-6), but I also remember their match of the day. Last year, 12 to 11 for the English, in Twickenham It had been a showdown, "said the former player Racing Club de France.
According to our consultant, each team has the talents to compete with each other. England's ability to withstand the power of the South African front and impose its game, including its opener duo of George Ford and Owen Farrell, could even be one of the keys to the game.
"It may be unfortunately a closed final"
"The English are there, they dream of this title, but beware of the men of this highland Africa, who have a lot of character.They believe in their star and never give up," warns Eric Blanc. Notably with his titanic second row Eben Etzebeth (2.03 m, 117 kg) and Lood de Jager (2.05 m, 122 kg), South Africa promises a muscular game.
"It's going to be a titanic fight, very fierce," insists Éric Blanc. Who's worried, too: "It may be a closed final, unfortunately, because I expect a lot of pressing, playing on the foot, and as the defenses are two iron curtains, it's going to be very very complicated".