It simply does not get any bigger than this.
Australia get the chance to defend their world champion crown against England in a fitting finale to rugby’s biggest showpiece.
All eyes will be on Sydney’s giant Telstra Stadium as the rugby world draws a breath for the sport’s biggest match.
Everything is at stake. All glory will go to the winner who will hold aloft the most sought after prize in rugby, the golden Webb Ellis Trophy.
For the losing players: four years to reflect on going so near but finishing so far to ensuring themselves rugby immortality.
Head to head
Though Australia are defending Tournament champions, England are the most recent victors of the RWC head to head after winning 25-22 in Cape Town in 1995. The two nations had met twice before that match in 1991 and 1987, both matches which England lost, 12-6 and 19-6 respectively.
In the past four international test matches England have beaten Australia, the most recent this June in Melbourne when they won 25-14 – in fact the Wallabies have to look back to June 1999 to their last victory over their northern hemisphere counterparts.
Form Guide
Australia have scored a massive 328 points in RWC 2003, the highest ever by any side in a single Tournament in history, while only letting in 58 points.
The Wallabies impressed through the early stages of the Tournament recording emphatic victories over Romania and Namibia, the later by 142 points to nil, but failed to impress in their showings against both Scotland and Ireland, scraping through against the men in green by only a point in their final Pool A match.
However their most recent victory stands as a landmark in Australian rugby history, overcoming a much-favoured New Zealand team to win 22-10 in a near faultless display.
It is this form that they take into the RWC final against England, and whilst some have argued it is a peak from which they can only descend, it is none the less world class standard that will cause England concern.
England have rallied 307 points in their six matches of the Tournament so far whilst having relinquished 71 to opposing sides.
They have had there share of emphatic victories (111-13 against Uruguay) and tightly fought battles (28-17 against Wales in a match where the Welsh outscored England three tries to one) but are a team that know how to win what ever the conditions.
Their final victory over France showed just that when they controlled play with a style of football made for the rainy conditions to win 24-7.
Previous meetings - in detail
The two adversaries in the 2003 Rugby World Cup are no strangers to meeting in rugby’s showpiece.
England and Australia have played each other in three of the past four RWCs with the Wallabies winning two of the encounters, most notably the RWC final in 1991.
In the 1995 Tournament in South Africa England knocked Australia out with a 25-22 victory in the quarter final at Newlands Stadium, before going on to lose to the All Blacks in the semi final made famous by Jonah Lomu’s four tries.
The two captains on Saturday, England’s Martin Johnson and Wallaby George Gregan both played in that game. The world’s most durable prop Jason Leonard, fullback Mike Catt and Wallaby winger Joe Roff are also survivors.
A fresh faced Leonard was also there to take the field against Australia in the RWC final at Rugby Union headquarters in Twickenham in 1991.
He was on the losing team that day as Nick Farr Jones’ men ground out a 12-6 win to take the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time.
Wallaby legends David Campese and Simon Poidevin each scored tries in their team’s 19-6 win over England in their opening match of the inaugural RWC at Brisbane’s Concorde Oval in 1987.
Another legend, fly half Michael Lynagh, added the extras with a conversion and three penalties.
The rivalry stretches way beyond RWC’s however. The teams first met in 1908 and have played one another a total of 28 times. Australia have the wood with 16 wins to England’s 11. One match has been drawn.
This number of matches played would have been a lot higher had England’s tours not been subsumed by British and Irish Lions tours of Australia over the years.
A number of players taking part on Saturday night were involved in the biggest loss inflicted on an England team when Australia overwhelmed them 76-0 on 6 June 1998 at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.
Prop Phil Vickery and superstar fly half Jonny Wilkinson will be out to exhume the ghosts of that defeat on world rugby’s biggest stage this Saturday.
Wallabies from that day still playing include Gregan, Matt Cockbain, Stephen Larkham, Joe Roff, Matt Burke, Chris Whitaker, Nathan Grey, Jason Little and Jeremy Paul.
But history goes out the window when the players stride out to on the lush turf of Sydney’s Telstra Stadium at 8pm this Saturday.
The match hailed by England’s coach Clive Woodward as the “dream final” Woodward, who lived in Sydney for five years while playing for Manly had backed Australia to reach the final before the start of the Tournament.
Ins and Outs
England have made just one change to the team that played France, that of inside centre where the kicking abilities of Mike Catt will be replaced by the attacking prowess of Mike Tindall.
Australia have replaced injured prop Ben Darwin with Al Baxter, with Matt Dunning moving onto the bench as replacement.
The other change is to the Wallaby bench where utility Matt Giteau moves on in place of Nathan Grey.
Key players
England have not lost a Test under Martin Johnson's leadership since March 2, 2002 and before then June 2000, so his qualities on the field will be of great significance.
No question arises over the influence of Jonny Wilkinson in the side, the fly half has converted all of England’s points in the semi final match against France and the team will be looking for a steady stream in this final when ever Australia gives away a penalty within their half.
For the Wallabies ball retention will be vital and thus flankers Phil Waugh and George Smith will be key to Australia's game.
Another key is Larkham, who if firing like he was against New Zealand, will provide a momentum to the Wallaby side and ball to their dangermen outside.
What they said
Elton Flatley Australian inside centre on the changes to the England backline:
"I think both (Mike Catt and Mike Tindall) are very good players. There's no doubt they're different. I think Mike Catt brings to the table a very good kicking game. Mike Tindall is a very good runner of the ball so they're different in the way they play the game. They're both exceptional football players."
Eddie Jones Australia Coach on England's style of rugby:
"England have been heavily criticised but whether they play poorly or play well, they still win. Sides struggle to beat them because they control their first phase possession so well and convert that to points...they are such good accumulators of points."
On whether the conditions will affect the match:
"Sydney in spring - it's either hot, it's either windy or it's either wet. We have to prepare for those three scenarios. If it's wet, it will suit the side with more skill. You still have to catch and pass the ball and kick the ball. So the side with the most skill will win the match and we think that'll be us."
On the young Australian pack:
"We've got a completely different side that played (England) in June. Maybe only six of the team are the same. We've got a young pack and they have no fear. They've got nothing to be frightened of. They'll play with a lot of aggression and if we're good enough we'll get on top of them and if we're not good enough, we won't. We've got no fear at all."
On whether the young age of the Australian team will be crucial:
"What is crucial is fitness. Fitness is definitely the key if the game is fast and the referee is to the edict of the Tournament, which is to have fast ball and get the tackler off the ball carrier, then fitness is going to be absolutely essential. Guys win Olympics at 36 years of age ... you can still perform well in your mid-30s. It's not so much age, but it's going to be fitness and we'll certainly back ourselves on fitness."
On the Australian crowd support for the Final:
"It will be a good challenge for the Australian crowd. There will be plenty of England supporters, plenty of white and red jumpers. It's a good challenge for the Australian crowd to get out there in gold and sing their songs."
"It was definitely a factor on Saturday night (for the Semi Final) and a very positive factor. This is one of the biggest advantages we've got as the home country, crowd support."
Steve Thompson - England hooker, on the support England have received during the RWC:
"Everywhere you go there is a sea of red and white. It's the best sight ever."
"I looked up in the stadium before the anthem on Sunday and all I could see was white. The Barmy Army was awesome and the support just gets better and better. All the encouragement is brilliant."
Jason Robinson, England fullback on his expectations for the Final on Saturday:
"We've got to make sure we work together as a unit and shut them (Australia) down."
"We know we can win the big games. We've got a record that says so. We've won 19 of our last 20 games and even when we don't play great we still win.
Clive Woodward, England Coach, on England's form leading up to the final:
"We haven't been perfect by a long way, and we're the first to admit that, but we're one game away from doing something very special."
"We're one game away from going home happy."
"If we come home second, we're are going to be mighty, mighty disappointed."
Match details
Australia v England
22 November, Saturday
Telstra Stadium, Sydney
Kick off: 20.00
Match officials
Referee: Andre Watson (South Africa)
Touch judges: Paddy O’Brien, Paul Honiss (Both New Zealand)
Television Match Official: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)