G'day. So, is this the real final? No team has ever been beaten on the way to winning the World Cup. Australia have never lost to New Zealand in a World Cup. One of those facts is going to change in the next two hours.

What it all means is that New Zealand is a very edgy place to be right now. Everything from Quade Cooper to the kick-off time (9pm local time) is causing huge levels of anxiety across both islands. Merely mention Dan carter's name and even the most reserved individual will drop to the floor, beating the fist on the ground, screaming "why, why, why". But, hey, there's always Aaron Cruden.

A thousand miles away in Australia things are just as unsettled. It's 25 years since the Wallabies have won at Eden Park. That hex was meant to be put to rest in the Pool game against Ireland but we know what happened there. But with typical Aussie bravado it seems they are prepared to try and bluff this one out and shift the pressure back New Zealand's direction. The Sydney Morning Herald published an open letter to the All Blacks which urged them not to choke and contained the following: "The great traditions of rugby [include] giving three cheers for the ref afterwards and the All Blacks crashing and burning."

After Saturday's dramatic victory over Wales, France await the victors in the final. Surely the French are the worst finalists since, oh, England in 2007?

Here are the teams for today's game ...

Australia: 15 Adam Ashley Cooper; 14 James O'Connor, 13 Anthony Fainga'a, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane; 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia; 1 Sekope Kepu, 2 Stephen Moore, 3 Ben Alexander, 4 Dan Vickerman, 5 James Horwill (capt), 6 Rocky Elsom, 7 David Pocock, 8 Radike Samo.

Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota Nau, 17 James Slipper, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Ben McCalman, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Berrick Barnes, 22 Rob Horne.

New Zealand: 15 Israel Dagg; 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Richard Kahui; 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Piri Weepu; 1 Tony Woodcock, 2 Keven Mealamu, 3 Owen Franks, 4 Sam Whitelock, 5 Brad Thorn, 6 Jerome Kaino, 7 Richie McCaw (capt), 8 Kieran Reed.

Replacements: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Ali Williams, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Andy Ellis, 21 Stephen Donald, 22 Sonny Bill Williams

Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)

The New Zealand and Australia rivalry: It's Springfield and Shelbyville, isn't it?

An email. At this time. On a Sunday. "Morning Evan," writes Andy Bradhsaw. "I for one want New Zealand to win today, all so they go through to next weeks final, against a French side worse than England's 2007 side. And then produce the choke to end all chokes & lose. Would sum up what, due to the refereeing antics, gum guard rubbish, ludicrously harsh citings & bans, hysterical press over reaction, would have been a most disappointing World Cup, except for 3 games, Ireland v Australia, Wales v South Africa & Wales v France. And that's before I start on the utter disgrace that is ITV's coverage."

The best odds available on New Zealand in a straight head-to-head are 5/12. You can get 13/5 on Australia while the 80-minute draw is 25/1.

The teams walk out to a raucous Eden Park. Nerves have clearly given way to hysteria in the crowd. "The stakes have never been higher between these two," claim ITV of the third semi-final they have contested. Now the anthems ...

Advance Australia Fair. Passionately belted out though they may have renamed it 'Advance Australia by Any Means Necessary' for this game.

God Defend New Zealand. A tear-inducing rendition. Like Auld Lang Syne at the end of It's a Wonderful Life. Now the haka ...

The Australians stand impassively as Piri Weepu through a deliberate and considered haka. Meanwhile Katie Little disagrees with Andy Bradshaw: " I think it has been a great World Cup," she writes. "Some excellent close games, even among some of the nations that you wouldn't expect, great fan support, NZ fans being friendly and generous; getting behind other nations and welcoming all teams. The few IRB related problems shouldn't detract from what NZ have achieved, and a tournament that most people have thoroughly enjoyed."

Peep! Craig Joubert blows his whistle and Cooper's drop kick-off sails straight into touch. You don't need me to say the crows liked that. New Zealand have the put-in and Weepu drives a lovely kick into touch near the Australia line

2 min: What a start from the All Blacks. First Dagg goes on the charge and then Cruden and Nonu combine on the left. The ball is worked to the right but a looped pass is too ambitious for Cory Jane and sails into touch.

3 min: Cory Jane kicks ahead. James O'Connor slides on the ball, carries it over the line and then tries to run it safety under the most intense pressure. he eventually sees sense and drops to the ground and concedes the five metre scrum. Good defence from Australia as they force the turnover and Cooper boots clear. "Am I the only person who finds that the Haka makes them embarrassed to be a rugby fan?" asks Dan Lucas. "Surely some of them must be standing there thinking "this is bollocks"?"

TRY! NEW ZEALAND 5-0 Australia Ma'a Nonu crosses in the corner after a brilliant break from Israel Dagg. It came from an All Blacks line-out, Cruden fed Dagg who broke through three tackles before a one-handed offload to Nonu who had a simple task. Piri Weepu can't make the conversion but what a start from the home side. Where are the nerves?

8 min: Springfield are destroying Shelbyville at the moment. Nonu chips ahead and finds a nice touch. New Zealand win the line-out and Australia are penalised and Weepu has another kick at goal ...

10 min: Weepu's kick comes back off the post. He should have landed that. It canons back off the upright and into an All Black hand

11 min: This is an onslaught at the moment. Cruden weaves through two tackles before Pocock is penalised again for leaving his feet at the ruck and Weepu will have yet another chance.

Penalty! NEW ZEALAND 8-0 Australia. This time Weepu makes no mistake. Peter Conway writes: "The Haka should be kept if only so we get to keep seeing Ali Williams act like a total [beeep]."

13 min: What a response from Australia as first O'Connor and then Ioane make lightening breaks. Ioane is held up on the line by some desperate defending. Australia keep the attack going, despite a loose pass from Kepu (I think) and get a penalty when McCaw goes off his feet. O'Connor will kick for goal ...

Penalty! New Zealand 8-3 AUSTRALIA O'Connor slots between the post and Australia have some points on the board from their first attack. "I refer Mr O'Conner to the answers given some one week ago," writes peter Gibbs. "In conclusion, the English were to reply with tea, dainty sandwiches and a little moustache waxing. I'm guessing the Australians should go with something somewhat more.....'agricultural'."

17 min: Cooper knocks on from an up-and-under and the crowd seem happy with that. The Australia No10 has looked very edgy once again. He's all talk really, isn't he? There's another foul in the resulting ruck as an Australian goes off his feet and once again Weepu has a kick at goal.

18 min: Weepu's penalty drifts wide of the post. That's one from four now for the All Blacks scrum-half. Or 25% if you prefer that method.

20 min: Cruden has a taste for these crossfield kicks. he goes for one again and O'Connor has to scamper across and run the ball into touch. James Slipper is on for Kepu in the Australia front row.

Drop goal! NEW ZEALAND 11-3 Australia. A wonderful drop-goal from Aaron Cruden at the end of relentless Al;l Blacks pressure. It was smart play too - they had the penalty but Cruden took some pressure off Weepu by attempting the drop goal and they get the three points. Michael Hunt writes: "I thoroughly enjoyed watching Sonny Bill Williams in interview after one of the earlier matches showing a desperate attempt to control his own ego. Asked about whether it could be his World Cup, the man knew that he had to be modest and say how good the rest of his team were and the team was what was important even if he wasn't picked he started referring to "SBW the team man". You have to have a grudging respect for an ego big enough that when trying to be modest it still refers to itself in the third person with a weak nickname. Big Mike does at least."

24 min: Have you ever looked at an entire rugby team and wondered what it would be like if they all attacked you at once? Quade Cooper knows exactly what that feels like. The Australia fly-half does really well however to claim a high kick while being flattened by Richard Kahui.

25 min: Australia force a vital turnover through some Pocock ferocity but Cooper tries to chip ahead for some reason and it sails straight into the touch. A pointless decision.

26 min: Rob Wright has "a football fan's perspective". He writes: "I confess to being torn between wanting an exciting, competitive contest, and the desire to see Australia thrashed as punishment for their unworthy win over South Africa. That's typical football fan negativity isn't it?"

27 min: Israel Dagg goes on another great break but Tony Woodcock knocks on and Australia have the put-in. "Normally it'd be a shame to see a young guy have his confidence destroyed on the biggest night of his career," writes Dan Lucas. "Nonetheless, when it's someone as disagreeable as Quade "Carlos Spencer" Cooper, this is hilarious."

29 min: A mistake from Kahui who inadvertently gets a foot to Genia's chip ahead and it dribbles into touch five metres from the All Blacks' line. This is a good chance for Australia.

Drop goal! New Zealand 11-6 AUSTRALIA Say what you like about Cooper but he doesn't lose confidence easily. He knocks over a fine drop goal after Australia roll through more phases in this attack than they managed in any attack in the quarter-final against South Africa.

33 min: Here come Australia again as Cooper shows his dynamic side in combination with Genia. It's resilient All Blacks defending which holds them up and the Australians are penalised for joining the ruck incorrectly and Weepu can clear.

35 min: The game enters its scrappy phase as Australia gather a loose New Zealand line-out. Nonu charges down a kick before Cooper boots clear. An up-and-under from Dagg then bounces back into Adam Ashley Cooper's hands but he's in an offside position and Weepu will have another kick at goal.

Penalty! NEW ZEALAND 14-6 Australia. Weepu knocks over the penalty to restore New Zealand's eight-point lead. John Hopgood knows what Quade Cooper is going through: "In the mid 90's, I was walking along a pedestrian street, (Florida) in Buenos Aires. It was mid morning and I saw some huge people, five abreast coming towards me and practically blocking out the sunlight. Everyone gave them room to pass. They were members of the visiting Springbok team taking a stroll, and although they were laughing and chatting, the overall impression was, "Don't even think about approaching us!"

39 min: Dagg knocks on and Australia will have one last chance to get some points before half-time. Richard Tunaley writes: "Cooper needs to be taken off. He's a liability. Maybe he had a few Coopers before he came on?"

Half time: New Zealand 14-6 Australia. A knock-on means the Wallabies won't add any more points and the players trudge off. New Zealand will be very pleased with their display but will feel that they could have a few more points on the board had Weepu's kicking been more accurate.

I've been saving Michael Hunt's 'Animal Rugby' email for half-time. Here goes: "So on to the important question. If forced to pick a starting 15 for a game of rugby from the animal kingdom, who do you pick? Having pondered this at length (I don't get out much) there are still a few gaps in the centres, don't really know who to pick, and not sure if the three bears is pushing it.
1. Hippo (simple power)
2. Gorilla (hands for feet would help with hooking)
3. Rhino (power, plus a bit of nuzzling could be interesting for the opposition front row)
4. Elephant
5. Giraffe (good in the line-out but might be an issue in the scrum)
6. Kodak Bear
7. Grizzly Bear
8. Polar Bear
9. Monkey (good hands)
10. Kangaroo (good boot)
11. Buffalo (reflection of the modern game, speed is rarely enough for wingers now, need to be monsters too)
12.
13.
14. Springbok (speed and seems appropriate)
15. Cheetah (combo of speed and tackling)

"12 Lion, 13 Tiger," writes Richard Spencer. Meanwhile my colleague Gregg Roughley has outlined what awaits the winner. "Whoever wins this will face a France squad who were given this encouraging pep talk by Lievremont after their semi-final win: "I told them what I thought of them - that they're a bunch of undisciplined spoilt brats, disobedient, sometimes selfish, always complaining, always whining. It's been like this for four years" Though to be fair, he said this after he heard a few of them had gone out for a drink to celebrate, which pissed him off."

More animal rugby emails: "Well if it's a team from an English zoo, the donkey would be at 12," says Brennan Goddard.

"I notice Michael Hunt has available spots in his team lineup," says Knut Ivar Hjellestad. "Surely you'll need to have a Kiwi in there somewhere. I'm guessing the lucky number thirteen would suit Mr Cannot-Fly."

Benjamin Seldon writes: "Bears kick butt. That back row would be the best in world rugby. I'd like to see a lion at 12 simply for the gravitas he would bring to both the game and the back line. Solid in D and a strong runner, one would think. Something like a panther at 13 might work, or a brumby/ wild horse. Speaking of horses, a draft horse in the pack might be nice. On second thoughts, a brumby would be amazing at 13."

What's a brumby?

Peep! We're underway again. You may have to play animal rugby amongst yourselves for a bit.

41 min: Penalty to New Zealand after a stupid error from Mccabe who runs into trouble and then plays the ball on the deck and Weepu should have a simple three points. "How about a donkey in the centres?" asks Tom Jennings. "Works for England."

Penalty! NEW ZEALAND 17-6 Australia. Piri Weepu makes no mistake this time and the All Blacks have a healthy lead. Bit odd he's pissed off they went drinking," says Philippa Booth in relation to Marc Lievremont, "given that after the group game v Tonga he said he'd had three crates of beer opened to help them get over it."

45 min: The New Zealand defence is standing so firm as Australia roll through the phases trying to force an opening. It's the All Blacks who force a knock-on from the Wallabies. Australia comes again through Ashley Cooper but Dagg holds him up and Australia are penalised for going in off their feet and Weepu boots clear.

48 min: This is a really good spell from Australia and they launch wave after wave off attack. There's an accidental obstruction somewhere in there and that's a frustrating end to a promising position. New Zealand have the put-in.

51 min: A forward pass brings and end to what is a rare New Zealand attack this half. The animal team is getting a lot of attention - too much attention for me to deal with it all. The short of it is that the bears are going to have to work hard to justify their selection if the face of stiff competition from sharks, bats and deer amongst various other animals.

52 min: Lovely from Quade Cooper who ducks and dummies before off-loading to Ben Alexander. he would have rather someone a little trimmer, shall we say, was backing him up. Richie McCaw then does what Richie McCaw does in forcing the turnover and New Zealand win the ball back. " might have been a bit hasty on Cooper earlier," writes Dan Lucas. "Some of his work with the ball in hand is quite incredible. Pretty certain he and Carlos Spencer are the exact same player though."

55 min: Frustration boils over from Stephen Moore as he loses his cool and makes a bolt for the ball at the back of a ruck. Weepu is going to kick for goal. It's a long way out on the right touchline and it drifts wide of Australia's left-hand post. That's the end of Piri Weepu who trots off to be replaced by Andy Ellis.

57 min: Pat McCabe went off with a blood injury a few moments ago but that's become a permanent change now. Berrick Barnes is on.

59 min: Israel Dagg tries a drop goal but doesn't catch it at all right and Barnes boots clear. Dagg has made it back to his own 22 to collect and launches a monster kick upfield and fins touch 30 metres from the Australia line. More replacements on - this time for the Wallabies.

61 min: This is an epic battle now as McCaw pounces on Genia and forces the No9 back and back and back. Australia somehow keep the ball before Conrad Smith charges down O'Connor's kick on his own line and Australia escape as the loose ball spins into touch.

62 min: The ball bounces loose from a line-out but Kieran Reed slides and jumps on it like his life depends on it, which it might well do. Will Genia gets a chance to clear as New Zealand are penalised from the ensuing ruck.

65 min: An exchange of blows as the All Blacks power through Australia's scrum and win a penalty. Pocock isn't happy. He'll be even more upset of Cruden knocks over this penalty.

67 min: Cruden misses the kick and Australia still have a chance. They need a try soon. But they need to find a way to dominate this All Blacks front eight. There is no way through at the moment. Piri Weepu comes back on as Andy Ellis departs with a blood injury.

70 min: Nonu knocks-on but this game is drifting away from Australia. New Zealand turn over (again) from the resulting scrum and win a penalty. Still getting lots of Animal Rugby emails. The back row is still the main area of doubt. My perspective, for what it's worth, is that the bears start.

Penalty! NEW ZEALAND 20-6 Australia. Piri Weepu makes no mistake this time and the Wallabies need two converted tries to merely draw level. Game over? I think so.

74 min: They may have to rethink the blood injury laws after this game. There's barely a player out there that doesn't have red stuff streaming down his face. There's still no way through the All Blacks for Australia. McCaw has been immense.

75 min: Sonny Bill Williams is on and immediately picks up a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Quade Cooper who looked for a moment like he was going to weave through the New Zealand defence but then ran into trouble. Australia kick for touch, take the line-out and push for the line ...

79 min: Adam Ashley Cooper slips as Australia work it wide and Richie McCaw goes after the ball like he's trying to rescue a child from a burning building. he turns over, then Australia turn over and are then penalised and that, ladies and gentlemen, is that.

80 min: Australia are still pushing for the line as the clock goes red. Kahui boots upfield, Quade Cooper gather but is bundled into touch ...

FULL TIME: NEW ZEALAND 20-6 AUSTRALIA The All Blacks plan is still on course. They will play France in the final next Sunday. "Here's hoping Quade Cooper is the only Kiwi who chokes at this World Cup," says Susie Kilty. "Bring on next week."

Post-match ramblings. That was an awesome display from New Zealand from the off. They hunted down Australia and Quade Cooper from the very first whistle and, as the Wallabies pushed and pushed in the second half, they refused to concede even an inch which Richie McCaw leading the resistance at every turn. As Sandile Xaso says" It HAD to be Quade Cooper to have the last touch didn't it? Him being bundled out of touch by a gang of All Blacks." It was a fitting end indeed. Thanks for all your emails - particularly the animal team. This may not be rugby but should provide some food for thought for selection dilemmas. Bye.