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The Australian coach is playing some serious mind games ahead of World Cup final

Published 15:37 30 Oct 2015 GMT

Kevin Beirne
The Australian coach is playing some serious mind games ahead of World Cup final

Homesport

The Rugby World Cup final might not be the one European fans wanted, but it's definitely the best contest for a neutral.

The rivalry between Australia and New Zealand is as old as the game itself but this marks the first time they've met in a World Cup final. Australia coach Michael Cheika has instilled a confidence in his team that was totally absent when he took over 12 months ago, and part of that is his lack of respect for the All Blacks New Zealand. While most of the rugby world is seemingly afraid of the Kiwis, the Wallabies don't buy into the hype, refusing to refer to them by their "All Blacks" nickname. Part of it comes from the fact New Zealand have never won a World Cup away from home, which has landed them an unwanted tag as chokers. We assume Cheika had all of this on his mind when he "accidentally" slipped up and called them the All Blacks for the first time all tournament. https://twitter.com/andNickMullins/status/659772559085412352

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