Rugby League World Cup: Who are the headline acts - and who might make the difference?

Defending champions Australia are aiming for much glory successful the men's and women's World Cup last double-header astatine Old Trafford connected Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Kangaroos, who person won 8 of the past 9 men's World Cups, look a Samoa broadside who knocked retired England to scope their archetypal final.

Every kick, tackle and effort volition beryllium shown unrecorded connected BBC One, portion each the play and excitement from some finals volition besides beryllium captured by commentary connected Radio 5 Live.

But who are apt to beryllium the header acts? BBC Sport looks astatine 2 cardinal battles - and 2 much captious partnerships.

• 'Civil warfare has enactment planetary crippled successful the balance'
• Samoa question to daze Australia successful World Cup final
• Who is astir nether pressure? Australia and New Zealand look off

Nathan Cleary v Jarome Luai

Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai person won successive NRL titles astatine the Penrith Panthers

A head-to-head brushwood betwixt Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai stands retired among respective intriguing sub-plots to Australia's gathering with Samoa.

The half-back operation is regarded arsenic the heartbeat of NRL Grand Final winners Penrith Panthers but they volition beryllium connected opposing sides for the archetypal clip since their inferior days.

And determination volition beryllium nary country for sentiment oregon relationship erstwhile the enactment gets nether way, with Luai known for his quality to antagonise his opponents.

"He talks a just spot but that's what makes Luai truthful good," said Samoa team-mate Jaydn Su'a. "He is simply a rival and helium doesn't similar to lose. Until the last whistle blows, helium volition beryllium into you."

Luai's mercurial moving and handling skills person taken him to 3 man-of-the-match awards successful 5 games and helium is simply a unsafe albeit acquainted hostile for Cleary, who has emerged arsenic a archetypal prime for Australia manager Mal Meninga during the tournament.

Still lone 25, Cleary's exceptional kicking and passing crippled has led to comparisons with Australian greats of the past specified arsenic Andrew Johns, Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk and helium volition beryllium keen not to springiness an inch successful this pivotal duel.

James Tedesco v Joseph Suaalii

James Tedesco and Joseph Suaalii are team-mates astatine the Sydney Roosters

While Samoa men's skipper Junior Paulo is relishing going toe-to-toe with his Parramatta Eels team-mate Reagan Campbell-Gillard successful an explosive and bruising forwards clash, fireworks volition besides beryllium expected from the backs.

Australia skipper James Tedesco, arguably the champion full-back successful the world, lines up straight other Samoa's teenage prodigy Joseph Suaalii, a club-mate and the antheral tipped to instrumentality implicit that relation 1 time astatine the Sydney Roosters.

"He's [Suaalii] specified a freakish athlete," said Kangaroos stand-off Cameron Munster. "He's got truthful overmuch ability, helium tin bash thing and I'm scratching my caput that he's inactive lone 19.

"He's got a large future, but hopefully not connected Saturday. We'll effort our champion to nullify him but helium has nary fearfulness erstwhile he's moving the shot back."

Can Amber Hall and Mele Hufanga animate New Zealand?

Amber Hall and Mele Hufanga were some named successful the women's squad of the tournament

Having narrowly mislaid 10-8 to Australia successful the radical stage, the Kiwi Ferns volition caput into Saturday's last brimming with assurance aft an awesome semi-final triumph over England.

In that 20-6 triumph successful York, the destructive powerfulness of prop Amber Hall and rugby national person Mele Hufanga came to the fore. And portion Australia person intelligibly taken note, they are apt to tailor their attack to effort to deterioration down the duo and nullify their threat.

Australia co-captain Ali Brigginshaw said: "We decidedly person plans [for them]. We person played them earlier - and recognition to them, they played well, but arsenic a squad we tin exposure that a small bit.

"We person watched a just spot of them and however we tin enactment them implicit and that's the program for Saturday. We didn't play our champion and we inactive won that excavation game. Defensively we were beardown but we person a batch much successful onslaught and I'm excited to spot however that goes."

Will Ali Brigginshaw and Isabelle Kelly beryllium cardinal for Australia?

Ali Brigginshaw (left) was portion of the Australia squad that won the erstwhile 2 Wold Cups

With the vastly experienced Brigginshaw and Sam Bremner having some been portion of Australia's palmy World Cup campaigns of the caller past, determination is plentifulness of acquisition for manager Brad Donald to telephone upon against New Zealand.

Brigginshaw was subordinate of the lucifer successful the 2017 last triumph against the Ferns and volition beryllium important successful controlling the pace, tempo and shot power of the Jillaroos successful attack.

Meanwhile, speedy centre Isabelle Kelly, who has won virtually each home and planetary honour going, volition beryllium looking to support the affluent vein of signifier she exhibited with a semi-final hat-trick in the 82-0 win against Papua New Guinea.