RWC final team news: Springboks start Pollard and use controversial 7/1 bench split

South Africa will start again in this year’s decider with another controversial 7/1 split among the forwards and backs.

ON SONG: South Africa's Handre Pollard kicks a penalty during the Rugby World Cup, semi-final match at the Stade de France. Pic: Mike Egerton/PA Wire

Handre Pollard, who kicked South Africa to an emphatic victory in the last Rugby World Cup final, will start again in this year’s decider with another controversial 7/1 split among the forwards and backs on the Springbok bench for Saturday's decider against New Zealand.

Pollard, who scored 22 points when South Africa beat England 32-12 in the 2019 final in Japan, replaces Manie Libbok at flyhalf while Faf de Klerk comes in at scrumhalf in two changes from the line-up that started last Saturday’s narrow 16-15 semi-final success over England.