Talking of strolling the streets. Twenty years ago, South Africa won the World Cup by beating New Zealand. And twenty years ago, the Springboks prepared for the 1995 final by going for a morning run through Johannesburg.

Today, members of that squad - led by their inspirational captain Francois Pienaar - pounded the streets of London. 

Pienaar and his former team-mates were joined by hundreds of Springboks fans as they set off from Trafalgar Square on a two-mile trot, before leading a stirring rendition of the South African national anthem in front of the statue of former president Nelson Mandela in Parliament Square.

Mandela, of course, presented Pienaar with the Webb Ellis Cup in one of the most iconic images in political and sporting history.

Image source, Getty Images

All roads lead to rugby HQ...

Is there time for one final public announcement?  

Whoever you support, whichever sports you follow, you can now get all the sport that matters to you on one page. 

In the BBC Sport app, you can now create a My Sport page which will become your one-stop shop with news, live coverage and stats tailored to your interests. 

The key benefits of My Sport are: 

• Get all the latest news, reports and features in one place, on the topics you are interested in 
• Scores, results and fixtures for your football teams are automatically updated on your My Sport page 
• My Sport is easy to set-up and edit. You can add or remove topics, and re-order.

You can find out more about the new My Sport page here. Thanks for listening. 

"This is all very exciting stuff, but how can I watch it?" Yes, yes, we hear you. 

Well, you can't watch it. Well, you can, but let's not go into that. As well as these words, there's live coverage on BBC Radio 5 live, which you will be able to listen to by clicking on the speaker icon, or the live coverage tab, at the top of this page. 

And don't forget you can get score alerts zapped to your phone via the BBC Sport App. 

Image source, BBC Sport

Matt Dawson
2003 World Cup winner on BBC Radio 5 live

So how should players approach a World Cup semi-final? Here's the view of someone who has been there, done it, got the T-shirt...

Image source, Getty

But if you thought history, and the stats, were against South Africa then there is good news for those supporting the men in green. 

Here's the flip side - South Africa are one of two sides to hold a winning record over the All Blacks in the Rugby World Cup (the other being Australia), while another win would ensure the Springboks become the first team to beat the All Blacks three times in the competition.

Image source, BBC Sport

It was July. The year 2015., and it was another classic as the world's best battled the second best. 

Six minutes from the end, a Richie McCaw try proved decisive as the All Blacks won 27-20 in the Rugby Championship. According to the Daily Telegraph,, external it was another reminder of "just how far New Zealand are in front of not just South Africa but every other team on the planet". 

Not much changes in three months. 

McCaw's try came from a brilliant line-out move - but the All Blacks say they have no match-winning moves to unleash on the Springboks today. And they said so with straight faces.

Image source, Getty Images

What else does history tell us?  New Zealand have won 10 of the last 12 Tests between the two sides, with their defeats in that run happening in South Africa.  

And there's something for South Africa to chew on at least because the Springboks have a better record against the All Blacks than any other country - a 39% success rate from their 90 encounters. 

Image source, BBC Sport

Why is this such a special rivalry? It is a rugby scrap which began with an All Blacks victory in Dunedin in 1921 and has since had 89 editions, and there is as much history off the pitch, external as there is on it. 

But here are the stats: if you thought the All Blacks have always been superior, think again because the Springboks were initially the better side in the original battles, winning nine of the first 14 Tests. 

But the All Blacks learned and perfected, adapted and honed  - and in 1956 inflicted a first defeat on South Africa since 1903. Fast-forward to the professional era and it's the men in black who come out on top, winning 33 of the 45 matches between the two. 

Image source, Getty Images

Former England captain Will Carling has been hanging around Twickenham's corridors. [Mr Carling, some people don't like it when you loiter near the changing room door...]

Former England hooker Brian Moore has been deployed near a window and is charged with looking skywards until kick-off. 

Goodbye unseasonably balmy afternoons, hello skies the colour of dirty dishwater. The ground is no longer as firm under foot as it was, and the ball doesn't stick in the hand as it once did. 

Dark clouds are expected to dump their load over Twickenham at some point during this afternoon. Will the weather favour the Springboks? Some say it will, some say it could prevent the All Blacks from playing their all-action off-loading game. 

Tom Fordyce
Chief sports writer at Twickenham

"Grey and damp in south-west London, the weather more Stewart Island than Stellenbosch. But bosh there will be when All Blacks and Springboks come together in a few hours, this the equivalent of a heavyweight title fight between two scarred sluggers with styles that can only clash."

You can always rely on a BBC Sport journalist to find the nearest sugar stash...

Here's one for the stats lovers. Since the opening ceremony on the evening of the 18th September, 2,269 points have been scored - 257 tries, 183 conversions, five drop-goals and 201 penalties.

Twenty teams have entertained and played their part in turning this into a fabulous festival of rugby. But now just four remain. 

For those in need of a quick reminder, here's who will be fighting for a place next Saturday's final. 

Saturday, 24 October: South Africa v New Zealand (16:00 BST)

Sunday, 25 October: Argentina v Australia (16:00 BST)

Image source, BBC Sport

Hello! Welcome to the Rugby World Cup semi-finals or, in other words, the Rugby Championship. 

What started as a competition for the world has now been trimmed and chopped into a battle between the southern elite. They have the weather, the wine and, so it seems, the best rugby teams on the planet. 

The northern hemisphere, we thank you for taking part, but now it's a do-or-die skirmish between the rugby beasts from the other side of the equator. 

Image source, Getty Images

1921. What a year. Who would have thought so much could happen in a mere 12 months, but those were the roaring twenties for you. 

Albert Einstein was awarded a Nobel Prize in physics, car discs were introduced, Harry Secombe was born. And there's more. Babe Ruth was hitting home runs, and arrested for speeding. 

And the greatest rivalry in rugby union begun. 1921. What a year. 

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images