KEY POINTS:
The 2007 Springboks look as good as the World Cup winning side in 1995 and are not afraid of the All Blacks, said former-Bok Mark Andrews.
Andrews - who marked up against Zinzan Brooke in the 1995 final at Ellis Park - said the Boks have a belief that they can beat the All Blacks.
He said the team heading to France is well balanced.
"There are youngsters in the side. They're young in years but not experience," Andrews said.
But he said the All Blacks are favourites and have the psychological edge over South Africa after beating the Boks in the last 10 minutes at home.
"If the Boks had kept that 12 point lead and beat the All Blacks, and remember the B-side didn't do too badly, maybe the All Blacks and South Africa would be neck and neck," Andrews said.
The Spring Boks are up there, the Australians are dark horses and the French are a possibility but the All Blacks are ahead "by a long yard", Andrews said.
"I haven't seen much of the French this season and they're always a dangerous side. With the World Cup on their back door-step they will be a force to be reckoned with," he said.
Andrews, who played a season in France, said it depends which French side turns up on the day.
"The emotion gets too much for them but if they get it together, they're a dangerous side," Andrews said.
He said the French team that beat the All Blacks in 1999 had a real belief in themselves and that's something the All Blacks will need.
He said the pressure on the All Blacks is enormous and starts building months out from the World Cup.
"In New Zealand, rugby dominates everything, even farming.
"To play every single game with pressure is hard. The pressure can be throttling," Andrews said.
But the All Blacks will make the final to play against South Africa, he said.
"The rugby world would go wild. It would be an unbelievable final between two sides who know they can beat each other on the day," Andrews said.
He said the game will probably come down to penalty conversions.
"Hopefully Richie McCaw will get blown out and if he's reined in, he'll give away enough penalties," Andrews said.
Final Prediction
South Africa versus New Zealand
Score: "It will probably come down to kicks, it will come down to penalties".
Mark Andrews' Springbok career
(Source: www.sarugby.co.za)
Full name: Mark Andrews
Born: February 21, 1972
Position: Number 8
Springboks debut: 1994
Matches: 77
Springbok points: 60, 12 tries
YOUR PREDICTIONS
It's only weeks away from the Rugby World Cup and we want to hear your predictions of who will win. Who do you think will be in the final and what do you think the score will be?
We'll run your predictions online and you could be the winner by picking the right score.
The winner gets to the right to call themselves the Rugby Brain of New Zealand... and our sports team at nzherald.co.nz will also rustle up a prize for the most accurate prediction.
