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Defending champion Brazil have set up a 2006 finals rematch against host nation Poland at the FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship in Poland on Saturday.

Brazil is through to the finals after defeating France in a close five set 25-18, 23-25, 25-23, 22-25, 15-12.

Ricardo Lucarelli Santos led Brazil with 22 points, 18 points from attacks and four points from blocks while Earvin Ngapeth top scored for France with 21 points.

This is Brazil's fifth finals appearance but aims to make history by winning its fourth straight title.

"All tournaments are special for us and all the finals are also special," Brazil team captain Bruno Rezende said. "Tomorrow we want to make history making everything possible to put the name of Brazil in the history of volleyball."

"It is our chance to do something that never has been done before," added Rezende.

In front of an estimated 12,000 spectators at the Spodek Stadium in Katowice, host team Poland edged out Germany in the first two sets in overtime.

Germany, sensing defeat, came back in the third set through the efforts of Denys Kaliberda and Gyorgy Grozer, taking it 25-23.

As Germany tries to maintain their focus in the fourth set, Poland rallied behind the crowd to take the set and book themselves into the finals against Brazil 26-24, 28-26, 23-25, 25-21.

Mariusz Wlazly led the host nation with 22 points; three of those came from the service line while Kaliberda topped Germany with 18 points.

Poland last won the tournament in 1974 that came out on top of a round-robin system of play edging out the former Soviet Union who has the event's most titles with six.

In the battle for fifth place at the Atlas Arena in Lodz, Russia clobbered Iran in three straight sets 25-19, 25-21, 25-18.

Nikolay Pavlov went on a spiking-spree with 14 points for the Russian team while Amir Ghafour and Milad Ebadipour both scored 10 points to top the Iranians.

TagsBruno Rezende, Ricardo Lucarelli Santos, Mariusz Wlazly, Gyorgy Grozer, Nikolay Pavlov, Amir Ghafour