Live text – New Zealand v France

1 min: The All Blacks in black, France in white, Piri Weepu gets us under way…

0900: New Zealand national anthem in the bag, here’s the Haka – the French, ever a little bit weird, line up in an arrow-head formation. Holding hands… and here they come! Dusautoir brings them walking forward… now creeping, not walking… and have to say this is great drama…

0857: Only nine players have scored tries in World Cup finals, and no player has scored more than one. Players standing shoulder to shoulder in the tunnel, three Maoris let rip with their horns and here they come, parting before the William Webb Ellis trophy and making their way onto the Eden Park turf. Between them, these teams average more than 50 Tests per man – but that doesn’t mean they won’t be quaking. Stand by for La Marseillaise – Against us of tyranny, The bloody banner is raised, Do hear, in the countryside, The roar of those ferocious soldiers? Bit strong, but get their point.

0848: In 10 minutes, it will be Haka time – how will the French react? Will they glow like rods of iron? Or will they melt like candles? Almost there, folks, almost there…

0834: Hope springs for France – they have played 13 Tests at Eden Park, winning six of them, including two against the All Blacks. Their 46% win rate at the ground is the best of any nation other than New Zealand. Here’s a nice stat for : Owen Franks, Sam Whitelock, Aaron Cruden and Israel Dagg were not even born when New Zealand last won the World Cup back in 1987. At the other end of the spectrum, lock Brad Thorn, at 36 and 262 days old, would usurp England’s Jason Leonard as the oldest World Cup winner if his side win today.

0827: New Zealand have won their last 16 Test matches at home, a winning streak that stretches back more than two years. Under coach Graham Henry, the All Blacks have lost only three home Tests, against South Africa (twice) and France. France haven’t exactly razzle-dazzled out back in this tournament, but one player who might have the tools to unlock the All Blacks defence is winger Vincent Clerc – he’s scored six tries in the tournament, and along with England’s Chris Ashton is the joint top-try-scorer in the tournament.

0817: As I am sure are already aware, these two sides met in the pool stages, when the hosts ran out 37-17 winners. And here’s a startling stat for – when the French rumbled the All Blacks in the 2007 quarter-finals, skipper Dusautoir made an astonishing 38 tackles – more than the entire All Blacks side between them. There are four men in the New Zealand match-day squad who played in the quarter-final loss to France in 2007 – Tony Woodcock, Richie McCaw and Ali Williams all started that game, while replacement hooker Andrew Hore came off the bench.

0759: This is the 51st Test match between the All Blacks and France – the All Blacks have won 37, France 12 and there has been one draw. Remarkably, the All Blacks have won 20 of 24 Tests between the sides in New Zealand, and even more remarkably, they haven’t lost at Eden Park – against anyone – since 1994. The players didn’t even get paid in those days…

0750: This is the seventh World Cup final and a repeat of the very first back in New Zealand in 1987 – the All Blacks mullered France that day, few would be surprised if that happened again at Eden Park. Only nine tries have been scored in World Cup finals, could be a few more than the average today. Or will there? France being France, they’ll fight fire with fire up front and, who knows, actually start chucking it about out back. And if that happens, God alone knows…

0745: Morning all. So, here it is, the 2011 Rugby World Cup final – New Zealand versus their old hoodoo team France. I have yet to meet a man, woman or child who thinks France have any chance of winning this one. Although my mother thinks Marc Lievremont’s side have got a chance, but she knows absolutely nothing about the great game of rugby union and that assertion is based entirely on the fact she thinks Thierry Dusautoir is a “very handsome man”. Follow the game here live and make sure to get involved.