I must admit, I'm feeling hopeful for tonight. New Zealand are rightly favourites, their form over such a long period of time warrants it, but it feels like the Wallabies under Cheika genuinely believe they can win this if they play to the best of their ability.
The two teams programs are at completely different places on the spectrum. New Zealand have a squad with some key players on the end of their journeys. Some brave person might even suggest they have been held on to for a year too long, but as they showed against France they have been dominating together for so long that they can win on muscle memory alone at times.
The Wallabies on the other hand have the exact right mix of age and experience to lift the cup, based on previous RWC winners. But they find themselves only a year out of the wilderness thrust upon them by the dithering rudderless dhingy that was the good ship Dingo Deans. In a years time as New Zealand bed down a massively updated squad you would expect the Wallabies would be favourite in this fixture, but the aura and experience of Team GOAT counts for so much. But neither are they at the peak they were in 2013 when opposition rolled over at the mere sight of a black jersey.
In summary, as a normally pessimistic Wallaby supporter (hey, I discovered rugby in 2003 and we've won nothing of massive significance in these 12 years so I'm allowed to be a little pessimistic, I don't have the memories of the golden years to reflect upon) I would have the odds 60/40 to New Zealand, and I feel pretty damn good about that.