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Tokyo - The Rugby World Cup final between England and South Africa is likely to be come down to a shoot-out between the kickers' "golden boots" rather than "brilliant tries", Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick predicted on Friday.
South Africa have reached the final via an astute kicking game from the hand, a strong defence and a powerful set of forwards that have wrung penalties from opponents punished by accurate flyhalf Handre Pollard.
And Stick suggested Saturday's showpiece match will be little different, noting that finals have often been won by the finest of margins - coming down to a drop-goal or pressure penalty.
"You don't get many opportunities to score tries because you are talking about the best two teams in the world currently... I think the kicking games is going to be massive, no pressure Pollie," joked Stick, pointing at Pollard next to him.
"That's how World Cups these days are decided."
Stick referred to the 2003 final - won by England's flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson with an extra-time drop-goal - and the 1995 decider, which became a penalty kick contest between flyhalves Joel Stransky for South Africa and Andrew Mehrtens for New Zealand.
"If you look at the history of the World Cup, there are few World Cups that were won by brilliant tries... the difference might be on the golden boot between Handre and (England captain Owen) Farrell on the other side."
Pollard said he was prepared for the pressure that potentially kicking for the trophy brings.
"That's why you train. That's why you put in the hours," he said.
"From being a little boy in the back yard, thinking to yourself 'This kick's for the World Cup final'. You've basically prepared your whole life for it," said the flyhalf.
He said that the team that "embraced and enjoyed" the pressure and turned it into energy would probably emerge victorious in Saturday's final in Yokohama.
Pollard was the key man in South Africa's win over Wales in the semi-final, kicking the winning penalty goal with four minutes to spare that gave the Springboks their 19-16 victory.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi said the last four match-ups against England had been tight "arm-wrestles" dominated by the forwards and he did not expect much different for the final.
"I'm expecting that and it's all about who can handle that the most," Kolisi said.
"You never know, there might be beautiful tries being scored. A lot of things have happened this World Cup so you have to be prepared for everything," added Kolisi.
Kick-off is at 11:00 SA time.
Teams:
England
15 Elliot Daly, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Owen Farrell (captain), 11 Jonny May, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Tom Curry, 5 Courtney Lawes, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola
Substitutes: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Joe Marler, 18 Dan Cole, 19 George Kruis, 20 Mark Wilson, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Henry Slade, 23 Jonathan Joseph
South Africa
15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de
Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Duane
Vermeulen, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Lood de
Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Tendai
Mtawarira
Substitutes: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Franco Mostert, 21 Francois Louw, 22 Herschel Jantjies, 23 Frans Steyn
