A point that made a point
24 Oct 2011
MARK KEOHANE, in his weekly Business Day newspaper column, applauds New Zealand’s defensive effort in the World Cup final.
France earned the respect of all New Zealanders and the All Blacks surely earned the respect of the rugby world.
You cannot begrudge the All Blacks their moment, and you also cannot deny captain Richie McCaw his finest 80 minutes as an international player. He is finally a world champion.
France captain Thierry Dusautoir was the player of the match but it was the player of the past decade (McCaw) who got gold on the night.
Some may say the rugby gods have a heart, especially if you remember McCaw’s night — and face — at the 2007 World Cup in Cardiff four years ago when France beat the All Blacks 20-18.
McCaw and the All Blacks deserved the win. Not just because of their defensive effort on the night, but because of what they have dealt with at this tournament — expectation, pressure and injury setbacks.
Home-ground advantage is big in any tournament but in World Cups it has been a curse. New Zealand are the first host nation to win the World Cup in the professional era and they did it with their fourth choice at flyhalf, Stephen Donald, for the final 45 minutes.
They did it without Dan Carter and they did it with McCaw playing the entire tournament with a foot injury that will require surgery.
It is easy to forget the obstacles New Zealand had to overcome because of France’s effort but it would be doing the defensive quality of this final a disservice.
France had offered nothing at this tournament. They had been awful and had been beaten twice in the league stages. They were told they were a disgrace to the romance of French rugby and the World Cup heroics of their predecessors. But they are France and with the French you never know who gets out of bed, let alone who pitches up to play a game of rugby.
They are also players who believe the only rugby experience better than playing the All Blacks is beating them. I can’t applaud their effort enough. Then again neither can I that of the All Blacks.
France’s intensity spooked the All Blacks four years ago, but this time New Zealand were prepared for the physicality of France, and to a man they backed their defensive system and backed the bloke on the inside and the outside to make his tackle. This is a team that trusted in each other as much as each guy did himself.
France were monstrous in the collisions. Dusautoir played the game of his life. France played more intelligently than they have all tournament, and like a team with a plan.
France played from set piece to set piece, limited idiotic decision-making in their own half and played like a team with the belief that they could strangle New Zealand up front and outkick them.
This was raw passion from France. They played for their honour, their dignity and the right to be World Cup champions, but they never had the attacking threat to match either the power of their pack or the intent of their minds. It has been their Achilles heel all tournament.
The All Blacks in the professional era have always been accused of not respecting winning ugly. They did that at Eden Park and their defensive effort was monumental.
France will get many accolades because they defied the belief that the All Blacks would win easily, but if the adage is true that World Cups are won on defence, then New Zealand are deserved winners.
There were heroes on both sides and thankfully no villains, even though All Black Piri Weepu would probably have had to emigrate if France had been the champions.
Weepu missed two penalties, a conversion and kick-started France’s solitary try with a chip kick that landed in a French hand and ended in seven points for France.
He also suffered at the base of the scrum because of the French effort, more than the New Zealand lack of effort, but when the battered All Black forwards had to produce their biggest effort of the last four years they did so in the last four minutes of the World Cup final. They kept the ball for three minutes, forced the penalty and won the game that for the people of New Zealand was so much more than a rugby result.
And it was as if the rugby gods were reminding all of New Zealand about humility. New Zealand would win it by a point to make a point.
Crushing the French would have resulted in New Zealand arrogance and perhaps another 24-year wait for the gold cup.
But to be in Auckland last night was to know there was nothing blasé about this New Zealand celebration.
There was just relief and recognition that attack wins you the Tri-Nations but defence wins you the World Cup.
464 Comments
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24 Oct 2011, 13:42 pm
“Home-ground advantage is big in any tournament but in World Cups it has been a curse. New Zealand are the first host nation to win the World Cup in the professional era…”
OK, let’s analyse this statement.
Before the “professional era” two of the three RWCs were hosted in the SH and were won by the host nation – NZ (’87), England (’91) [won by Australia] and SA (’95).
In the “professional era” the RWCs have been hosted in Wales (’99) [won by Australia], Australia (’03) [won by England], France (’07) [won by SA] and NZ (’11).
Every RWC played in the SH has been won by the host nation, except for Australia in 2003 who lost in extra time in the final against England.
That’s hardly a “curse”.
Rather, it’s a hemisphere thing:
(i) NH teams are not expected to win the RWC when they host it in the NH; and
(ii) any of NZ, Aus or SA are expected to win the Cup when played at home.
The overwhelming precedent is there.
24 Oct 2011, 13:44 pm
“I am very disappointed with the result but it’s not the moment to criticise the referee,” said Dusautoir.
“He is one of the best in the world and we did not do enough to get the vital penalty we needed at the end.”
The France scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili was however prepared to go a step further.
“The referee was under a lot of pressure,” he said.
“He did not want us to win.”
Fly-half François Trinh-Duc was equally frustrated.
“I’m not going to throw stones at the ref, we know that the context was against us,” he said.
And it was written thus… ABs to win the Rigged World Cup 2011… (Come h.ell or high water)
24 Oct 2011, 13:44 pm
@Nils(Nils)-97: Be interested to know your take on world refs…..is it unfair to say that SA has the best refs at the moment?
24 Oct 2011, 13:47 pm
Come on guys , enjoy the game and stop blaming the ref continuesly ….. Yes the French played exceptionally well , we were all worried in the 2nd half but isnt that what a final must be – a nail bitter – all this c r a p about France should of won , they obviously forgot the 3 kicks that Weepu missed in the first half meaning a 13 point lead in the first half which would have demoralished the french , and for the first time ( i will admit) , the Abs didnt choke and secured the game ….. the only true fact is that the Abs are world champions
24 Oct 2011, 13:49 pm
@Skeppie(Skeppie)-103: Well not according to HG and co … even Joubert is on the take
24 Oct 2011, 13:49 pm
I would love to know the Nationality of refs who officiated over close or controversial Bok losses over the last 5 years…
24 Oct 2011, 13:51 pm
I would also love to know what the reasons were for Mark Lawrence not being good enough to Ref at the Rigged World Cup 2011
24 Oct 2011, 13:51 pm
Rugby has far too many rules and these days becoming boring to watch.
24 Oct 2011, 13:52 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-107: Failed the corruption test
24 Oct 2011, 13:53 pm
@stew(stew)-105: Well as I said, methinks that’s just bitterness talking. But I would still be interested in the kiwi viewpoint on refs…I reckon at the moment SA have the best perfoming referees worldwide, dunno if thats fair or not? (Kaplan, Joubert, Lawrence etc)
24 Oct 2011, 13:55 pm
@Skeppie(Skeppie)-110: IMO it comes down to Andre Watson and his coaching – he was the best imo
24 Oct 2011, 13:55 pm
To all of the people who so laughed in 2007 , and before that , each time the AB’s failed …. Revenge is a dish best served cold , and with onions. 4 more years baby
4 more years …. I suggest you take it one heart ache at a time ..
24 Oct 2011, 13:56 pm
As a proud Bok supporter this whinging really embrasses me. Move on and get over it.
I wished for a French win yesterday and knew they would step things up in the final but they lost to Tonga and didn’t deserve the title.
Yesterday, rugby actually won, which we all want.
If you were in Joubert shoes yesterday wouldn’t you favour the AB’s in the bigger scheme of things?
24 Oct 2011, 13:56 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-106: HG i am back in NZ in december for Christmas , if i see Bryce i will knock him out just for you – i think that is fair !!!
24 Oct 2011, 14:01 pm
@DocNZ(DocNZ)-112: Well jackass I suppose we can only congratulate you into the “won it twice” club…..although it only took us four goes…took the AB’s 7……hmmmmmm
24 Oct 2011, 14:01 pm
@stew(stew)-111: Yeah he was quality, the
24 Oct 2011, 14:03 pm
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-92: I can appreciate that way of looking at it Cane.
I personally never understood how the QF of 07 was rubbed into Kiwis faces. It was a **** refereeing display and I wouldve been GUTTED if that had happened to the Boks. When I watched the replay of that game earlier this year I could totally understand Kiwis’ pain.
Its like booing the kicker instead of keeping quiet – its a “celebration of negative”.
We (rugby fans) should not delight when losses are incurred through malpractice as opposed to a lack of skill or being roundly beaten by your opponent.
The ABs were consistent throughout RWC 2011, won all their games, played well and overcame the loss of DC – all good achievements.
But the IRB takes the shine off of the achievement because of the suspicious way things are done and the incompetence of Refs that goes unpunished and unremarked upon.
Think of it this way Cane – most of the Kiwis on this site have repeatedly said the Boks 2007 title is void because they did not face Aus or NZ (altho this might be in retaliation to the Bok supporters comments about ’87?). How do Bok supporters feel when this is said? Did they ask to get the opponents they did in 2007? Did NZ ask to play France in a final in 2011?
Bok supporters will always believe that we deserved to beat Aus in the QF and we wouldve beaten NZ in the SF.
Even more so, that Aus shouldve beaten Ireland (thanks again to Bryce’s dodgy reffing) and therefore Ireland shouldve been the Boks QF opponents.
And we will believe (myself included) that the Boks wouldve beathen the ABs – either in the Semi or Final – especially without DC in the team. Even AB fans know that the Boks know how to pressure the ABs, and any first 5/8th with less BMT than Dan (read: almost any player on Earth) wouldve been smashed by the Boks.
Whether this is true or not, or logical or not, Bok supporters will believe it.
So it kinda goes both ways – but I do agree the comments on this site have become ridiculous.
To all my Kiwi mates I have said congrats and the conversation is about the ABs winning. But on this site, a site made primarily concerning the Boks, the Bok supporters have gathered to vent.
So dont take it all too seriously either – a lot of these guys are probably good sportsman and pleasant people
24 Oct 2011, 14:03 pm
@Skeppie(Skeppie)-116: Oops, he was quality but the IRB really should try and ensure all countries have the same standard of refs, otherwise there is always the gripe that NZ/AUS get out good refs and we get lumped with the less “qualified” NZ and Aus refs. Not an excuse for the WC mind….just a point
24 Oct 2011, 14:06 pm
“”We are a much stronger side now than we were in 2007. The players are older, more self-reliant and they run this team, Richie and the senior players run this team,” he said.”
- Henry, quoted on Supersport.
Imagine the idiotic mayhem here if PdV came out with a similar statement but yet it is great if the Kiwis do it? So much for the old school “headmaster” style being called for by some here.
24 Oct 2011, 14:06 pm
@DocNZ(DocNZ)-112:
Well done DocNZ, and to the ABs.
The ABs have defined rugby so often and for so many years, they deserve to have won it back at last
Congratulations from SA
24 Oct 2011, 14:09 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-95: Good post! That is the difference – and what I was trying to get through in my posts.
I can accept the Boks beaten by a better team on the day. But when a whole system is rigged (as even the RWC tender process was) then its not cool.
24 Oct 2011, 14:09 pm
@DocNZ(DocNZ)-112: Thats what its all about to you Kiwis… “Revenge”.
This implies you have been hard done by… As if.
- from interpretation and law changes for your benefit
- from been gifted RWC hosting rights
- from been gifted a RWC win
- from been gifted all possible advantage in S15 and 3N
Fuckyouverymuch… But I do really hope that “revenge” is truly sweet because after the euphoria fades the truth may out. And the truth is this Rigged World Cup and its outcome has not been good for rugby.
24 Oct 2011, 14:10 pm
@Michael(mikeybrass)-119: Well said Michael! There wouldve been all kinds of jokes and criticisms of PDiv – thats for sure!
Keo TV wouldve made a special episode to mock PDiv – even though none of them could coach their way out of a paper bag.
The South African media has been very harsh on PDiv
24 Oct 2011, 14:12 pm
@Dust(Leatherdust)-120: I would echo those sentiments but the good Doc is not exactly displaying good sportsmanship…rather showing the qualities of a prime ring muscle
24 Oct 2011, 14:12 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-107:
HG, To some extent, I agree with your assessment of a rigged world cup.
It all started many, many years ago when the host nation was announced.
There were clearly more comptent bids to host, but NZ won it against the run of play.
This kind of stuff can get you to bleed for years to come.
I think we should move on … there is plenty of time still for SA to become the team of this decade.
The players we have available now will deliver at least 2 x Four Nations cups over the next 3 years and certainly the 2015 world cup. Then all this will be forgotten
24 Oct 2011, 14:14 pm
@bokfan1(bokfan1)-123: Too harsh. PdV has made mistakes but is he a bad coach? No.
Yet an AB side playing Bok-like rugby led by its senior players is being hailed is being derided too.
Oh wait.
24 Oct 2011, 14:14 pm
@Helen(Helen)-125: Great post Helen and that should be exactly the motivation for our new Bok team!
2 x Four Nations Cups (lets say 2012 and 2013)
2014 will be the dreaded 3rd year (as always)
2015 RWC
24 Oct 2011, 14:15 pm
@bokfan1(bokfan1)-121:
Yes, the qrt final was horrible and potentially rigged.
Bottom line is that it won’t be proven and we’re ffarting against thunder, so let’s just get on with it.
You and I both know the Boks deserved to be in the final and would’ve probably taken the title… but it is now spilt milk
24 Oct 2011, 14:17 pm
@Michael(mikeybrass)-126: Well said again! The ultimate proof of what type of man PDiv is, is that he remained above it all and stuck to his guns – to be himself and to keep on coaching like he was. He always defended his team, was loyal to his players, he always kept smiling and kept things in perspective.
We didnt agree with everything he did and all his selections, but he was a great coach.
24 Oct 2011, 14:18 pm
As a Bok supporter the main reason to be happy must be that you are gettin rid of Pdivvy ????? Imagine if you had won , would Pdivvy resign ???????
24 Oct 2011, 14:19 pm
@Helen(Helen)-125: You are welcome to “move on” one day after a one sided final… One sided in several ways:
- One side was superior on the night
- One sided ref
- One sided final, written and decided beforehand
I am giving my opinion, not just on the Rigged World Cup, but on the decline of SA Rugby at the expense of the antipodeans.
I have had this view for a long time. Even if the Boks had won their QF I would still have this view.
And like it or not my view has resonance…
24 Oct 2011, 14:19 pm
@bokfan1(bokfan1)-129: You must be joking – is this your honest opinion ???
24 Oct 2011, 14:20 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-122: yeah it was a gift world cup, worthless when you win it like that.
Kiwis do feel they were owed something, but they were owed nothing, they weren’t good enough in the preceding 24 years and they weren’t good enough on the weekend but this time corruption won out.
24 Oct 2011, 14:26 pm
Froggies are freaking about the reffing it seems, this world cup definitely not just going to be remembered for the All Blacks winning.
24 Oct 2011, 14:28 pm
@Helen(Helen)-128:
Thats a moot point Helen
Im not sure we wouldve beaten the ABs in the semi
We were starting to run on 3 cylinders – stuttering and in fits and starts
We were losing players who were not fit = Juan before, then Bakkies and Frans Steyn, then Brussow, and we only had Fourie duP and Gurthro who were not rugby hardened this year and it wouldve been fully nosediving. And also the stalwarts like Danie and Schalk were starting to become match-fatigued.
We were the best uncoached team there, but Im not sure that wouldve got us to the final
24 Oct 2011, 14:28 pm
@bokfan1(bokfan1)-121:
not to mention the rwc group/pool seeding process:
http://blogs.dieburger.com/KevinD26/irb-se-wbeker-komplot-om-all-blacks-te-laat-wen?page=2
24 Oct 2011, 14:29 pm
@stew(stew)-130: Nobody seems to want the bok job, so we might be stuck with him a bit longer .
24 Oct 2011, 14:29 pm
@stew(stew)-132: Yes it is! Of course it is! PDiv was the man who kept the 2007 side together going forward. He brought Matfield and Smit back.
He had the humility and lack of ego to change gameplan after 2008 to enable the awesome season of 2009 to happen.
The mistakes of 2010 had a lot more to do with the usual “3rd year curse” and senior Bok missing tackles and being injured than anything else.
PDiv’s main problem was his backline “coach” – Muir shouldve been replaced.
No coach on Earth woudlve changed his side after the 2009 season. All of these accusations that he stuck with the “old boys” is done in hindsight. At the end of 2009 (EOYT saw the use of a lot of new players – ironically) no coach wouldve messed around with that side too much.
after S14 2010 it seemed the same players would continue on the same winning path. The 3Ns gave us all and them all a RUDE shock. but by the middle of 2010 it is too late trying to make wholesale changes to a team for a RWC in less than a year’s time.
Still some new players were brought in – Lambie, Aplon, Hougaard and so on.
And remember – some of the new players (like Bekker) wouldve been at RWC 2011 if not for injuries.
Look at Deans changing the Wallabies Capt just before RWC – no one says anything. An article on Keo/SA Rugby even applauded the decision.
If PDiv had done that, and gone out in the Semis, all the media wouldve lambasted him for making the same mistake as Mallet did, Smit wouldve been called the real coach, and so on and so on.
Hindsight is an exact science.
24 Oct 2011, 14:30 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-133: It has been a lesson in “Capture”…
The IRB is a captured agency. And the way in which this World Cup was awarded and won will create a big negative externality for Rugby Union, especially at International Level.
S15 and 3N are not captured, they were never freely competitive in the first place.
Unless a revolution happens in the highest echelons of Rugby, true competition at the International Level will be dead… Farce. If it has not already happened.
24 Oct 2011, 14:34 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-133: I think you are wrong, they have consistently been the best at rugby for many years, if there was something dodgy on the go i dont think they AB team is to blame, the reffing this rwc though was conveniently bad at times though it seems.
24 Oct 2011, 14:34 pm
@au revoir mon tout noirs, au revoir…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-136: Fark me. That was a very good little write up on that blog.
24 Oct 2011, 14:35 pm
@stew(stew)-132: PS. Not ALL Saffas hate PDiv Stew. The bitter ones you meet in Australia probably do – but they would complain regardless of who the coach is and who the team is.
They would complain when Naas was picked (cant tackle) and when he was dropped (who will kick??), they hated Monty cos of his hair/boots, hated Bobby cos he stuck his tongue out, hated Jake cos he wasnt an ex-Bok.
I’ll give you a very funny example of how weird South Africans can be:
Certain extreme non-white Saffas support the ABs because the Boks are “too-white”. Certain extreme conservative right-wing white kids ALSO support the ABs because of the supposed “quotas” in the Bok team. Can you get more ironic than that?
You can never satisfy the whole of South Africa. A LOT of Saffas admire PDiv and will miss him
24 Oct 2011, 14:39 pm
@stew(stew)-130: I feel for PdV but truth be told we was not up to scratch…looking forward to “the best man for the job” whoever that is
24 Oct 2011, 14:39 pm
@DocNZ(DocNZ)-112: hehehehe nice try, but SA handed over the trophy on Sunday, hence we only have to wait 4 years to have another crack (and not 4 more years, as in 24 years), chop
24 Oct 2011, 14:40 pm
@bokfan1(bokfan1)-142:
I’m sure we will ALL miss him, for a variety-show of reasons
24 Oct 2011, 14:45 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-133:
Big ti t you don’t really believe that give it up son you’re pathetic.
24 Oct 2011, 14:56 pm
France have been hit with a £10 000 fine by the IRB for advancing on the New Zealand haka prior to Sunday’s Rugby World Cup final.
24 Oct 2011, 14:56 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-146:
Hmmmmm….. don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.
There is some truth to what him and HG are saying.
It is worth a look, I think.
There is a bit of smoke around Bryce Lawrence. It would be interesting to see if there’s a fire, don’t you think?
24 Oct 2011, 14:57 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-147:
Surely not!!?
24 Oct 2011, 14:59 pm
It is sad that the only 2 times the kiwis have won the RWC, SA was excluded for non-playing reasons.
In 1987, NZ had apartheid to thank for their title.
In 2011, they had Bryce Lawrence to thank.
Imagine neither of those events ever happened. The kiwis would STILL be without a single cup.
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