All Blacks crowned kings of the world
23 Oct 2011
JON CARDINELLI, reporting from Eden Park, watched the All Blacks beat France 8-7 to secure their second World Cup title.
Four million New Zealanders have had to endure 24 long years in between World Cup titles. On Sunday 23 October, they had to endure a further 80 agonising minutes as their beloved All Blacks edged slowly and, at times tentatively, towards the elusive gold.
The energy of a nation was channeled in the New Zealand national anthem, and the All Blacks played their part with a spirited rendition of Kapa o Pango. France responded through Thierry Dusautoir’s passionate gesture during the Tricolores’ call-to-arms, and through the team’s decision to advance towards the hosts while they laid down the traditional challenge.
The message was clear: France would not be intimidated by the All Blacks, their media or the New Zealand people’s pre-match assertion that they had no place in this final. Their march on the All Blacks would signify a collective up-yours to all the non-believers, and their efforts in this match would underscore their passion and belief that they could indeed upset the world’s top-ranked team.
It was this fiery attitude and physicality that had the All Blacks rattled at stages. Tony Woodcock scored a simple try for the hosts when a smart lineout move opened up the French defence, but Piri Weepu failed to make the conversion. In fact, Weepu would miss all three of his attempts at goal and the All Blacks would miss out on eight points as a result. It was this lack of composure that so nearly cost the hosts the game.
The All Blacks were resolute on defence, but then so were the French. They matched the hosts at the collisions which limited the All Blacks’ attacking platform. Morgan Parra stopped Ma’a Nonu from breaching the gain line early in the first half, and paid the price for his bravery. He was able to return to the field for a brief spell but was later pulled when he failed to recover from what was a big knock.
The All Blacks would lose their own flyhalf before the first period was through. Aaron Cruden was caught between two French defenders in the 34th minute, and proceeded to hyper-extend his knee. Suddenly the All Blacks were without Cruden, their third-choice pivot, and looking to Stephen Donald, a player who wasn’t even in the country until a couple of weeks previously. If the All Blacks were going to pull this one off, the forgotten man of New Zealand rugby would have to steer them home.
Donald relieved Weepu of the goal-kicking duties and took his first opportunity early in the second half. But the 8-0 deficit did little to dampen the spirits of the French, who continued to clatter into the collisions and breakdowns with masochistic intensity.
They also persisted with their ball-in-hand tactics, and their searing counter-attacks stretched the All Blacks on numerous occasions. It was one such counter-punch that would provide the spark for a massive moment, which Dusautoir took expertly to help close the gap to 8-7.
It was during this time that the All Blacks must have been thinking about the failures of the World Cup teams of yesteryear. Weepu had shown a lack of composure in the first half through his inability to convert three very kickable opportunities, and as the French swelled with confidence, the All Blacks grew frantic.
It was a situation tailor-made for the French, and undoubtedly a worse-case scenario for the hosts.
But as plucky as the French were, they were just as erratic as in previous matches at this tournament. Credit should go to the All Blacks defence, but had France shown more composure and patience with ball-in-hand, they may have taken the lead and inspired some real panic in the New Zealand ranks. Had they converted their own goal-kicking chances, they would have assumed control as the clock wound down.
Dimitri Yachvili missed a penalty attempt early in the second stanza, and Trinh-Duc pushed a long attempt wide in the 65th minute. The replacement flyhalf also made a telling mistake when he overcooked a garryowen late in the game. It marked the end of long spell where France had pinned the hosts deep in their own territory.
It was during the remaining minutes that the All Blacks, spurred on by the thousands of desperate but patriotic Kiwis in the crowd, showed their composure. Through the determined efforts of their forwards and the collective discipline on defence, they were able to douse the French flame.
France swept from side to side for several minutes in hope of milking the penalty that would win them the game, but the All Blacks stood firm. They won the turnover, and attempted to play for time, and when referee Craig Joubert handed them a penalty, it signified the beginning of the end.
The All Blacks won the ensuing lineout and another penalty after mauling the French back, and at this point, Eden Park erupted in celebration. It will not be remembered as the most convincing performance, but it will be remembered as the day the All Blacks ended a 24-year drought and assumed the mantle of undisputed champions of the world.
1,158 Comments
Pages: « 1 … 4 5 6 7 8 [9] 10 11 12 13 14 … 24 » Show All
23 Oct 2011, 11:56 am
Well done AB’s. Good game, well reffed. Oh why can’t the Kiwis take a leaf out of the SA refs book and just blow the game without influencing the outcomes. In other words just stop cheating.
Glad it was another Southern Hemisphere victory albeit a contrived outcome.
23 Oct 2011, 11:57 am
@Porto(Porto)-392:
Thank you but its not goihng to stop the rapes and beating and killing in other places.
23 Oct 2011, 11:57 am
Thats the sort of game that is the reason I love watching rugby above all sports. It was intense to the extreme. Credit to the French, massive hits, MASSIVE!!!
AB’s defended like trojan’s and deserve their win.
Awesome game, if French won I would have celebrated but it would have been the least deserved WC win in history.
23 Oct 2011, 11:57 am
fk me, did ted actually crack a smile…?
23 Oct 2011, 11:58 am
@Robzim(Robzim)-394:
enlighten me please
23 Oct 2011, 11:58 am
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-395:
Thanks BH
23 Oct 2011, 11:58 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-402:
Like in the rest of the world?
23 Oct 2011, 11:58 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-381: It’s the sweetest thing!!!!
23 Oct 2011, 11:59 am
A win is a win, is a win.
France should have taken it – but they didn’t.
Most consistent team in this tournament, and deserved winners overall.
23 Oct 2011, 11:59 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-402:
Excellent comeback
23 Oct 2011, 11:59 am
congratulations All Blacks and Kiwis, really tight final there but well deserved champions, enjoy your victory
23 Oct 2011, 11:59 am
@frenchiebokfan(frenchiebokfan)-400:
Yep and it is something to be proud of.
French lost 3 games in the RWC, Boks lost one. You really need to pick the games a bit better if your going to lose.
23 Oct 2011, 12:00 pm
congratulations NZ, well done. enjoy the moment and the next 4 years
23 Oct 2011, 12:00 pm
the sheepshaggers won a tainted world cup, who gives a damn, to the all black glory supporters, go and shag some sheep.
23 Oct 2011, 12:00 pm
@maximus1(maximus1)-386:
Mate NZ dominated world rugby for the last 24 years without a WC win, think they deserve it, dog **** is really not something you should call this AB team.
The French rose to the occassion, they were immense, but didn;t deserve to win.
23 Oct 2011, 12:00 pm
We are watching a healing moment for a nation now.
They needed it now like we needed it in 1995.
23 Oct 2011, 12:00 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-405:
Don’t worry, it is ok.
23 Oct 2011, 12:00 pm
@Golden Boy(Golden Boy)-407:
Everywhere Golden
23 Oct 2011, 12:01 pm
Someone posted this conspiracy theory earlier…if nothing else, its damm funny
http://blogs.dieburger.com/KevinD26/irb-se-wbeker-komplot-om-all-blacks-te-laat-wen?page=2
23 Oct 2011, 12:01 pm
@Sheriff(Sheriff)-397: they scored 1 try off an AB’s error why do they deserve anything p.s they lost to tonga.
23 Oct 2011, 12:02 pm
I suspect the All Blacks are very happy that they didn’t have to play the Boks in the play offs. France made some bad decisions with 10 minutes to go when they kicked up and unders instead of kicking for the corner flags. That gave the All Blacks the chance to regain composure.
23 Oct 2011, 12:02 pm
Well done to the All Blacks. To all the boys on here – go out and have a few, it’s been a helluva journey.
23 Oct 2011, 12:03 pm
Much rather the AB’s win it than the substandard Tricolors (Do they still go by that name?)
23 Oct 2011, 12:03 pm
Nice to hear legend like Francois Pienaar saying what he said on telly. Hope you all heard it.
Nah, no a “lip service”.
23 Oct 2011, 12:03 pm
@Sheriff(Sheriff)-397:
Thanks Sheriff for your continued support throughout this tournament.
23 Oct 2011, 12:03 pm
Now please can anybody who believes you can win an WC with the kind of expansive rugby bloggers and rugby writers want the BOKS to play just wake up and watch this game.
23 Oct 2011, 12:03 pm
Off to a celebratory breakfast. Long live the Silver Fern. Long live All Black domination
Amandla!!!!!
23 Oct 2011, 12:04 pm
France played the whole tournament with a scrumhalf at flyhalf. Thrin-Duc showed the real French team today. The pool rounds meant nothing in the context of the competition.
23 Oct 2011, 12:04 pm
@Suidkapenaar(Suidkapenaar)-421:
Well i think ABs made some bad decisions as well. Piri had a terrible day, missed 8 points and gifted the French a try.
23 Oct 2011, 12:05 pm
@Nils(Nils)-424: what did he say?
23 Oct 2011, 12:05 pm
@Connag(1112Connag)-401: You must be joking there was atleast three occasions in the last 15 min where the all blacks tackler didn’t release or roll away all in easy penalty range . This rugby world cup will be rememberd for having the worst refs in the history of world cups
23 Oct 2011, 12:05 pm
Well done Ritchie and the boys and your fans.
Go and enjoy it.
Well done to the Frogs for making this a good one to watch and your time will come.
23 Oct 2011, 12:06 pm
Yes, Golden Boy, they still go by the name Tricolores
23 Oct 2011, 12:06 pm
@youknowwho(youknowwho)-427: What does Amandla got to do with it. I hope you arent one of those traiturous Caped Crusaders
23 Oct 2011, 12:06 pm
Told the all black glory supporters with a south african ref they will win, unlike kiwi refs who should stick to netball
23 Oct 2011, 12:06 pm
All Black players feel like g-ds now.
23 Oct 2011, 12:06 pm
Congrats to the All Blacks for their first legit RWC title. Welcome to the club!
23 Oct 2011, 12:07 pm
@NagouGrote(NagouGrote)-426:
Fair point, but have you noticed that inbetween the RWC, expansive seems to win games more than not.
Comes down to if you want the RWC over most of the games you play.
23 Oct 2011, 12:07 pm
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-425:
You cannot applaud cheating.
Let me watch the excessive self-congratulating for a bit …
23 Oct 2011, 12:08 pm
Why does Dan Carter get a medal?
23 Oct 2011, 12:09 pm
And a small word of thanks can go to Craig Joubert as well, he turned a blind eye to a lot of NZ infringements.
23 Oct 2011, 12:09 pm
The one thing that’s been intriguing me, is why they chose the Jupiter suite from Holsts Planet Suite as the theme for our own world “being in union”.
23 Oct 2011, 12:09 pm
@frenchiebokfan(frenchiebokfan)-433:
Thanks Frenchie..BTW, your coach should be fired for bringing on a debut scrum half with 5 minutes left to play..that was just poor…and it was this same unfortunate player who knocked on at the base of the ruck 20 meters out with 3 minutes to play…
23 Oct 2011, 12:09 pm
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE GREATEST RUGBY NATION IN THE WORLD. THEY DESERVE THAT CROWN. HOPEFULLY THEY WILLNEVER STOP ENTERTAINING US. THAT IS WHAT SPORT IS MEANT FOR!!!
23 Oct 2011, 12:10 pm
@Sheriff(Sheriff)-439:
Sherrif, you have problems with anything NZ does, but its good to have you on board and watch the best team in the world and World Champs get the trophy they deserve.
23 Oct 2011, 12:10 pm
@fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-430: Mostly what it means to players and he would regret if one of the rugby legends (in this case Richie McCaw) would have ended his international career without this feat. He mentioned also his son’s (who he said is a Richie fan) sad reaction to the Blacks loss last time and how now he can cheer.
Things like that. Nothing too special, just nice to hear that from another rugby legend.
23 Oct 2011, 12:11 pm
@Sheriff(Sheriff)-439: Cheers, enjoy sour grapes while others are partying.
23 Oct 2011, 12:12 pm
@Golden Boy(Golden Boy)-443:
The last desperate move by a clueless coach I guess.
The French did very well in spite of him, he is a bit like our own Divvy, even got a mini-moustache.
23 Oct 2011, 12:12 pm
Not a one decent FH performance the whole tournament after Carter was scratched off!
Playing the frogs today was a hell for the ABs without Carter and it was left to a GH’s reject Donald to save the day!
23 Oct 2011, 12:12 pm
@David(David)-442:
lol, its a helluva theme though.
i think they should have chosen the lion king for our local sttruggle compatriots on here …. liliellieeellieeeeeee, nans njok nyama, hau hau hau!
Pages: « 1 … 4 5 6 7 8 [9] 10 11 12 13 14 … 24 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.