Australia lost the last one because they had too soft a draw and didn't man up in the big game.
They have had a very similar run this time. They are saying they have learnt their lesson and will be ready for a battle hardened Kiwi side, but who knows.

So it would only be a great world cup if Australia win the final?

Yes we do,its NZ,and if they defend their title then fair play to them.

Agree 100% with you Fully.

A fair few of the Kiwis have said on Twitter the best team lost and have been complimentary of our performance.

Whatever Flex saw from the players yesterday was probably done out of sheer relief. That said the match will have taken its toll on them and can see the likes of Inglis, Hayne and co running riot down the flanks of the Kiwi defence...so a Australia win by 12 I fear.

Kiwis all the way for me.

I believe that was written with a heavy pinch of sarcasm.

Spoke to a few Kiwis in the Wetherspoons on Baker Street last night, they were a great bunch. Could never bring myself to cheer for the green and gold!

Not fussed , Just hope we get a classic .

Can't believe what I'm reading here, NZ everyday of the week!

Honorary Kiwi for a day. Sod them Green and Gold tw...............

Hopefully the kiwis can do it again.i see their chances the same as I saw ours before going into the game yesterday.if they can hit their 100% levels of performance they can beat the aussies no problem but anything short of that and it wont be enough.

hope for a great game though to put the cherry on top of the cake of this excellent WC.

Heart says Kiwis and head Aussies by at least 10 points.

The day I support Australia in RL is the same day I support Wigan in RL.

As gutting as Saturday was, there's no way in the memory of man I'll be cheering for the Aussies.

I'm a big cricket fan as well as rugby league and I'm absolutely desperate to see some Aussies getting battered at any sport there is. The way the likes of Clarke and Warner have conducted themselves these past few days has been a disgrace and that's before we even move on to their press or supporters.


I hope the Kiwis smash them to pieces Saturday and then let's get back in to the Ashes. The next test can't come soon enough!

Heart wants Kiwis to win it, but head says Australia by 10+.

I have bad news for you regarding 3 of the semi-finalist in 2017 if you don't like "consistency"

Dignified and Australia, really?

Not sure what evidence there is of NZ not being dignified?

I will be passionately supporting NZ.

www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/n ... -australia Seems dignified to me. Sonny bill Williams said England probably deserved to win, and said it was the toughest game of his career. I suspect most people will be cheering for NZ at old Trafford.

www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/n ... -australia Seems dignified to me. Sonny bill Williams said England probably deserved to win, and said it was the toughest game of his career. I suspect most people will be cheering for NZ at old Trafford.

Still gutted about the semi final loss, so at the moment I don't even want to bother watching the final.

Me too, but I'll be there on Saturday and will be a Kiwi for the day.

All of my French [icamarades[/i in attendance will be barracking for the Kiwis. We regard them as the forgotten people of the world, except when it comes to sheep and rugby (either code).

The New Zealand nation is a [imenage a trois [/imarriage of the Scots, the English and the Polynesians, even though the Kiwi team has almost nobody without some Polynesian blood (Simon Mannering?). The New Zealand team is also the only one in the world with a person of (half) Laotian blood playing. That person's name is Shaun Johnson.

....whilst the world admires the French ability to wave a white flag........

...whilst in France, the far right continues to expand in an almost fanatical attempt to become "strong as a nation" and therefore less susceptible to a third white flag waving incident inside 100 years.

Any news on pre-match entertainment?

weather forecast is sunny, 6 degrees with no wind so should be some top skills on display.

The question is: can Sonny Bill Williams and Shaun Johnson pull some of their proverbial rabbits out of the hat.

Almost as important: will the potential match winning wingers Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Manu Vatuvei be passed fit to play?

Will Northern Rail be running trains to the halt? Can't be doing with trams.