All Blacks make 'toughest' selection decision for Rugby World Cup final as Sonny Bill lauds 'brave' Springboks

Ian Foster says the omission of Dane Coles for the Rugby World Cup final was "probably the toughest" decision he's had to make in four years as All Blacks coach.

New Zealand made just one change to their starting lineup to play South Africa on Sunday (6am kickoff AEDT) with Brodie Retallick replacing fellow Test centurion Sam Whitelock in the second row.

But the bigger calls came on the bench where the bigger bodies of hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho and prop Nepo Laulala were preferred to Coles and Fletcher Newell.

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Coles has played 90 Tests for the All Blacks and is retiring after the World Cup.

The 36-year-old was key to New Zealand's 2015 World Cup win and his mobility and skills helped revolutionise the hooker position.

"Yeah, tough. We don't want to talk too much about post-game stuff, but that was a tough one, probably the toughest I have had as a coach," Foster told reporters in Paris.

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"He took it the way I expected him to. He's a champion."

Foster is also parting ways with the All Blacks after the tournament with Scott Robertson taking the reins.

He admitted his bench changes were a reaction to South Africa's 'bomb squad' replacements who swung the semi-final against England.

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"It is certainly a response, not so much to the power but the techniques we feel we will have to deal with," Foster said.

"Nepo is a very strong scrummager, very experienced. He has trained so well and he's disappointed not to have played the last two. But with the likes of Sam Whitelock on the bench, we've got a lot of confidence in that group coming on."

The Springboks have boldly picked seven forwards on their bench with Willie le Roux the lone back.

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"It's what I love about the game," Foster said.

"People try different tactics. They've got their way of playing and we've got ours. It doesn't change the way we prepare. Their strategy suits them, ours suits us and it makes it interesting."

Wallabies legend Tim Horan described the 7-1 bench split as a "big, brave call" while fellow two-time World Cup winner Sonny Bill Williams went even further.

"I just like the balls," Williams said on Stan Sport.

"I like the balls that the coaching staff has shown and this is great initiative, great forward thinking and understanding.

"To beat the All Blacks they're going to have to play special and to play special they're going to have to do something different, in terms of personnel, thinking outside the box and that's what they've got."

NEW ZEALAND (15-1): Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Mark Telea, Richie Mo'unga, Aaron Smith, Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (c), Shannon Frizell, Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot

Reserves: Samisoni Taukei'aho, Tamaiti Williams, Nepo Laulala, Sam Whitelock, Dalton Papalii, Finlay Christie, Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown

SOUTH AFRICA (15-1): Damian Willemse, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe, Handre Pollard, Faf de Klerk, Duane Vermeulen, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (c), Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Steven Kitshoff

Reserves: Deon Fourie, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, Jean Kleyn, RG Snyman, Kwagga Smith, Jasper Wiese, Willie le Roux

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)