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Subscribe to RSS Feed`Legends` punt France and SA
Philippe Sella, Joel Stransky, Martin Johnson, John Eales and Zinzan Brooke
Hosts France will face South Africa in the Final of the World Cup, according to a number of legendary former players.
The panel of Legends, giving their views ahead of this weekend's semi-finals, feel that the French will be too strong for arch-rivals England and the Springboks will have too much fire power for the Pumas.
France and England go head-to-head on Saturday and South Africa and Argentina meet on Sunday, with both matches taking place in Saint denis.
Joel Stransky, who kicked the winning drop-goal for the Boks in the 1995 World Cup Final against New Zealand, had no hesitation in predicting a France versus South Africa Final.
"Linked to the burning desire of Philippe [Sella, a fellow legends panelist] to see the [Webb Ellis] Cup paraded down the Champs-Élysées, I think France will win, they could be too strong," Stransky told a media gathering.
"France has had one of the best scrums. I think France will be too strong for England. I don't think it will go to extra time."
He was equally clear on who will win Sunday's second semi-final.
"I think the Boks' strength up front could be just enough fire power to hold the Argentines, so I will go France and South Africa."
Martin Johnson, who captained England to victory in the 2003 World Cup, and former All Black Zinzan Brooke backed Stransky in his believe that the Springboks would have too much power for the Pumas.
"Argentina have had so many hard games that they may struggle," Brooke said.
"I heard [Argentina captain] Agustin Pichot saying after the Scotland game that he felt tired. That worried me. Even if you do feel tired, you don't say it, ever."
Johnson said the Boks won't have it easy, but he felt they should do enough to win.
"Argentina don't give you many opportunities, but I think South Africa have too much fire power," Johnson said.
"The Springboks haven't put in an 80-minute performance at this World Cup yet, but now that they have reached the semi-finals, I think they will produce it."
The others on the legends panel, Australian John Eales and Frenchman Philippe Sella, went for Argentina to continue the "Latino dream".
And only Johnson backed England to upset France in Saturday's semi-final.
"We [England] probably win two or three times in every ten visits to Paris, and this might be one of those times. As the underdogs, it is important for England to still be in the game after 60 minutes. If they are, the pressure will be on France," said Johnson.
"In the two quarter-finals last week - where England and France beat Australia and New Zealand respectively - you could see that it was the favoured teams that felt the pressure the most once the game went into the final quarter."
Eales, despite admitting that the South Africans should be favourites and said he would not want to bet his house on a Puma victory, still punted for them.
"I think the Latin fairy story can continue for one more week. I know it will be a massive upset if it did happen, and you would expect the Pumas to win only two or three of every ten games they play against the Springboks, but I think it might just be one of those two or three occasions," said Eales.
