title: VerifyError: Cannot inherit from final class
body: <p>I am seeing the following error when attempting to launch my standalone application:</p>
  
  <pre><code>Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'restTemplate' defined in class path resource [abc/def/ghi/my-context.xml]: Cannot resolve reference to bean 'requestFactory' while setting bean property 'requestFactory'; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'requestFactory' defined in class path resource [abc/def/ghi/my-context.xml]: Instantiation of bean failed; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.BeanInstantiationException: Could not instantiate bean class [org.springframework.http.client.HttpComponentsClientHttpRequestFactory]: Constructor threw exception; nested exception is java.lang.VerifyError: Cannot inherit from final class
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveReference(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:329) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveValueIfNecessary(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:107) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.applyPropertyValues(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1391) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.populateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1132) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:522) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:461) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:295) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:223) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:292) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:194) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveReference(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:323) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      ... 57 common frames omitted
  Caused by: org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'requestFactory' defined in class path resource [abc/def/ghi/my-context.xml]: Instantiation of bean failed; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.BeanInstantiationException: Could not instantiate bean class [org.springframework.http.client.HttpComponentsClientHttpRequestFactory]: Constructor threw exception; nested exception is java.lang.VerifyError: Cannot inherit from final class
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.instantiateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1011) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBeanInstance(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:957) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:490) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:461) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:295) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:223) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:292) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:194) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionValueResolver.resolveReference(BeanDefinitionValueResolver.java:323) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      ... 67 common frames omitted
  Caused by: org.springframework.beans.BeanInstantiationException: Could not instantiate bean class [org.springframework.http.client.HttpComponentsClientHttpRequestFactory]: Constructor threw exception; nested exception is java.lang.VerifyError: Cannot inherit from final class
      at org.springframework.beans.BeanUtils.instantiateClass(BeanUtils.java:163) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.SimpleInstantiationStrategy.instantiate(SimpleInstantiationStrategy.java:87) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.instantiateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1004) ~[spring-beans-3.2.1.RELEASE.jar:3.2.1.RELEASE]
      ... 75 common frames omitted
  Caused by: java.lang.VerifyError: Cannot inherit from final class
      at java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClass1(Native Method) ~[na:1.6.0_29]
      at java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClassCond(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.6.0_29]
      at java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClass(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.6.0_29]
      at java.security.SecureClassLoader.defineClass(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.6.0_29]
      at java.net.URLClassLoader.defineClass(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.6.0_29]
      at java.net.URLClassLoader.access$000(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.6.0_29]
      at java.net.URLClassLoader$1.run(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.6.0_29]
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I have checked my classpath and there is only one instance of the class HttpComponentsClientHttpRequestFactory, residing in the spring-web-3.2.1.jar file.</p>
  
  <p>When I look at the source for this class, there is no mention of it extending any final class or methods.</p>
  
  <p>I am a little confused as to what is happening.</p>
  
  <p>Can anyone offer some pointers please?</p>