After 47 matches and plenty of drama in between, the planet's top-two ranked sides meet in the Rugby World Cup final at Twickenham on Saturday afternoon.

Australia and New Zealand may be giants of the game, lifting the Webb Ellis Cup four times between them, but this marks the first time ever that they have met at this stage of the competition.

Australia

There had been suggestions following the narrow and controversial win over Scotland in the quarter-finals that Australia were heading for an upset of sorts against Argentina in the final four.

The side that had won over many neutrals with their flair and no-nonsense attacking play had the backing of many to overcome a Wallabies outfit that had shown signs of fading.

Hindsight tells us that this was far from the truth, with Michael Cheika's charges recording their highest ever margin of victory at this stage of the competition thanks to the 29-15 triumph.

It was a win that was fully deserved, too, coming on the back of a display that combined both decent attacking moves and more of that resilient defensive play that frustrated Wales greatly in the quarters.

Australia crossed over four times in all, with Adam Ashley-Cooper claiming three of his own, yet somehow Argentina remained within touching distance of their opponents right up until that final score.

This was largely down to the Wallabies' ill-discipline, conceding numerous penalties to allow Los Pumas to keep hope alive when it should have been game over from the opening quarter of the relatively one-sided affair.

Incredibly, Australia have won 22 out of 23 World Cup games in the Northern Hemisphere, in a run that has taken in such scalps such as South Africa, Wales and England in this tournament alone.

The so-called Group of Death may feel like a lifetime ago now, but it must be remembered that the 1991 and 1999 winners stormed through the daunting pool as winners thanks to four wins from four.

It is fair to say that Cheika's men have not looked back since then, beating Wales and Argentina to set up a mouthwatering final, with the potential to create history and win the cup for a third time.

World Cup form: WWWWWW

New Zealand

It is a fact that has been stated throughout the tournament and perhaps weighed slightly on the minds of each All Blacks player - no side has ever retained the Webb Ellis Cup.

Six teams have tried, six teams have failed; now New Zealand will look to overcome their seventh and final challenge to ensure that 2015 ranks alongside 1987 and 2011 in the history books.

There is little denying that Steve Hansen possesses the best team on the planet. Just ask the now ex-France coach Philippe Saint-Andre, who saw his side completely dismantled at the quarter-final stage of the competition.

New Zealand helped themselves to nine tries on that memorable night in Cardiff, with Julian Savea in particular impressing by bagging himself a hat-trick of scores to embarrass Les Bleus at the scene of one of the Kiwis' darkest moments in this competition.

It was at the Millennium Stadium eight years ago that the reigning champions suffered a cruel defeat to the same opponents, but since then they have yet to lose a game in the tournament. Thirteen matches and an impressive 13 victories since then, including an 8-7 win over France in the final four years ago.

In simple terms, teams find it incredibly hard to beat New Zealand. In fact, since the last instalment of the World Cup, Hansen's men have lost just three games overall.

Competing in a record fourth final, in front of 82,500 supporters, the holders will have to achieve another piece of personal history - winning the tournament outside of home territory for the first time ever.

Stats and facts may suggest that the past is working against the world's best side, but a glimpse of their knockout-stage performances to date suggests that this is a team that is simply unstoppable.

While the aforementioned victory against France was followed by a far-from-stellar showing against South Africa, New Zealand's character to fight back from behind at the interval against the Springboks - something they had never previously pulled off - underlined just why they are such strong favourites once more.

World Cup form: WWWWWW

Team News

New Zealand have named an unchanged side for this Southern Hemisphere showdown, meaning a chance for Dan Carter to compete in a World Cup final for the first time in what will be his last ever international game.

It will also be an emotional afternoon for departing skipper Richie McCaw, while three others will bow out of the international game at Twickenham on Saturday.

Overall, this All Blacks side boasts a combined 1,339 caps between them, with centres Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith extending their personal partnership to a Test-record 62 matches.

In terms of the Wallabies, head coach Cheika has opted to make one change by bringing loosehead prop Scott Sio back into the starting XV.

After shaking off an elbow injury in time to feature, Sio will replace James Slipper in a side that includes David Pocock at number eight.

Australia starting lineup:
Israel Folau, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tevita Kuridrani, Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell, Bernard Foley, Will Genia; David Pocock, Michael Hooper, Scott Fardy, Rob Simmons, Kane Douglas, Sekope Kepu, Stephen Moore, Scott Sio

New Zealand starting lineup:
Ben Smith; Nehe Milner-Skudder, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Julian Savea; Dan Carter, Aaron Smith; Joe Moody, Dane Coles, Owen Franks, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw, Kieran Read

Head To Head

These sides may be battling it out to become the first to ever win three World Cup crowns, but it is the first time they have met in the final of the showpiece event.

They have faced off three times previously at earlier stages of the competition, however, with Australia edging things two wins to their opponents' one.

Perhaps tellingly, the All Blacks came out on top in the last meeting - a 20-6 victory at Eden Park in 2011 - although the Wallabies are one of just three sides to have beaten the world's top-ranked side since the last instalment of the competition.

That success came in August's Rugby Championship clash, but the Kiwis had to wait just a week to exact revenge on home soil.

New Zealand have won 105 of the 154 fixtures overall, compared to Australia's rather paltry tally of 54 in comparison.

We say: Australia 15-22 New Zealand

Finals tend to be low-scoring affairs, but this highly-anticipated clash will buck the trend somewhat in what should be an entertaining affair. Both these giants have shown their frailties in recent weeks, yet each have done more than enough to prove that they are worthy of a place in the final. History is up for grabs on Saturday, and it is New Zealand's players who will write their names into the history books with a third triumph on the biggest stage of them all.