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, 15:01 pm
@bokfan1(bokfan1)-142: I cant believe you would support a coach who has done nothing for the Bok jersey and team as a whole ….. Firstly i am not a Bok supporter.
PDivvy took over one of the best Bok teams ever in 2008 – imo in 2008 was the best chance to white wash the Abs in the Tri Nations , and after the historic victory at Dunedin , i was terrified ! What does the great Pdivvy do , change the team – the start of the collapse ….. i can go on and on
The current bok team imo played on skill not coaching prowess , this was the best opportunity ever to do the double … I will admit that the current Abs were no where near as good as the 2007 team and the Boks if properly coached should wipe the floor with the current Ab team but ( lucky for us ) Pdivvy and his cohort cant coach , simple and clear
I cannot , ever , say that Pdivvy was even a good coach. I believe this is where Saffas should focus thier anger not reffering decisions.
24 Oct 2011, 15:05 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-147: NOW THAT IS BU!!**** that is so wrong on so many levels, this is what makes people angry that they have the right to do the war boogy before a game and every one else must just stand there and suck it in.
24 Oct 2011, 15:05 pm
@Helen(Helen)-150: Helen you must remember that the Boks , who must be congratulated for being able to have 75 % possesion , still cant work out how to score tries …. Dont worry though they have only 4 more years to learn !!!! LOL
24 Oct 2011, 15:07 pm
This is a farce!
France has been fined for walking closer when the haka was done.
The IRB protects their fav for sure.
24 Oct 2011, 15:07 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-141:
i know, but then they call us ‘conspiracy theorists’…go figure…
24 Oct 2011, 15:08 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-154: Yeah that’s crazy, I thought the French respected the Haka by fronting up, not sure why they are being fined
24 Oct 2011, 15:09 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-147: That is UNBELIEVABLE! That illustrates EXACTLY my point – the favoured status of the ABs within the IRB.
Why should another team HAVE to “respect” the Haka (a dance intended to intimidate)?
Why must the IRB have a rule about where to stand and where to watch the Haka from and how to behave?
Its ridiculous
24 Oct 2011, 15:10 pm
@stew(stew)-153: chop refer my post 144
24 Oct 2011, 15:12 pm
Skeppie because the IRB has a special set of rules for the all blacks.
The tongan,samoan and fijian haka’s don’t have the same protection.
24 Oct 2011, 15:12 pm
France are lucky to get away with a mere £10k fine. In the old days blasphemy was punishable by death.
24 Oct 2011, 15:15 pm
@stew(stew)-151: I know you are not a Bok supporter Stew
I did mistake you for a Wallaby though – my bad 
You are entitled to your opinion of course, and Im surprised to read you think about 2008 and the ABs in 2011! I did also think 2008 was a good year to whitewash the ABs (as I do every year
The Bok team have gone stalled and even digressed a bit recently (especially in ball-in-hand and backline play). However I do not attribute all of the blame of this to the PDiv – as my post above – the players must bear the brunt, and a better backline coach was required.
I would say the scrum improved and our forward play was great (except for 8th Man, but this is my personal opinion). Even so – as I said we do not all agree with every single one of his selections – but some of the personal attacks and criticisms in the media were out of line and not professional
24 Oct 2011, 15:16 pm
@Skeppie(Skeppie)-124: Far from it … Some here have refused to do anything but whine and complain, 2007 our noses where rubbed in it . We got reminded at ever chance, chokers 4 more years .
Now we have won the RWC, yet nothing has changed , every single aspect of this RWC was in some way shape or form rigged to make sure that the AB’s win. Do you honestly think that with all the history between the two teams , that the AB’s would want to play France in a final?
Given the chance it would have been interesting to see which one of the first tier nations the AB’s would rather have prefered to play in the final. In ’87 the AB’s won the trophy, we are told that it does not count because the boks did not play . In 91 the wallabies won it , but nothing it mentioned of that though. In 1995 the ab’s played in a great final loosing to the boks. 1999 , it was sad times again. 2003 , even more sad times . 2007 , Wanye Barnes due to his incopitanace cost us a chance at the trophy.
The boks won , after thumping england twice, they did not choose their oposition, same in 2011 , the blacks palyed the teams in front of them. Bryce did not have a stellar game, but the boks should ahve played better and should have won the game . Craig Joubert is now seen as another gimp in the pocket of Paddy . The wallabies lost to the Irish , that was beyonf anyones control and it threw the comp wide open. Now we are told that the AB’s cant considre themsleves RWC champs until they beat the boks.
Is the hatred for the AB’s so over powering that any reason to deny the AB’s their moment in the sun ? I think it has more to do with the failure of the boks to live up to their own supporters expectations. The boks supporters are hurt , they feel angry , even going on a full out campaign to support the French, anyone but the blacks. Some bloggers here cant get over it, that is their problem. They only have to wait 4 more years to get another try and winning it.
I think the Wallabies will win it 2015, Their team will be perfect for it. As for the AB’s given the advercity they have come through this year, it just goes to show how tough a national they really are .
24 Oct 2011, 15:21 pm
@DocNZ(DocNZ)-162: if you looking for acceptance go blog on a kiwi site, if you want to experience bitter rejection please remain here
24 Oct 2011, 15:22 pm
Greatest conspiracies – Area 51 , the moon landing , JFK assasination and now the 2011 RWC
24 Oct 2011, 15:23 pm
@Feral Cat(Sun Wukong)-163: Xenophobia raising its ugly head again – and who is the chop
24 Oct 2011, 15:23 pm
@stew(stew)-164: or try RWC 95, lol
24 Oct 2011, 15:25 pm
@stew(stew)-165: please explain you have lost me or are you feeling a little sensitive?
24 Oct 2011, 15:26 pm
@Feral Cat(Sun Wukong)-167: Use a dictionary if you dont understand the word
24 Oct 2011, 15:28 pm
@stew(stew)-168: ok so sensitive it is you chop
24 Oct 2011, 15:32 pm
@DocNZ(DocNZ)-162: I suppose don’t paint all with one brush comes to mind. I cannot understand supporting the French, NZ have been the best side in the world for a while so clearly are deserved winners, of course come of us saffa’s are bitter and whiney, the WC means that much to us! I do think there is a bit of leniency to NZ from the IRB especially with the smaller details like citings, fines etc but I don’t understand how anyone can think the cup was rigged…the AB’s were deserved winners in 2011 full stop. The Boks were deserved winners in 2007 as well.
24 Oct 2011, 15:33 pm
@Feral Cat(Sun Wukong)-169: LOL i enjoy blogging here because of the various views of supporters around the world , however lambasting a view point because they are not South African is Xenophobic
24 Oct 2011, 15:41 pm
The same keo moron who has a kiwi **** firmly up his arse. Predicted Aus will win it, then said no NH team has the quality to make it and predicted an AB runaway win. Then he spend the whole last couple of years bashing the Bok coach and undermining our teams effort with the most negative attitude and journalism imaginable than our our worse enemies can ever do.
Please emigrate to new Zealand keo – you and your keo WP/AB supporting twat club don’t belong in SA go and support Aus and the ABs please. BTW – the Lions smashed WP with all their overrated Springboks this weekend too – shows you what is really wrong with the Boks – too many useless overrated WP players in there for sure.
24 Oct 2011, 15:43 pm
hehehehe you really are a sensitive soul
24 Oct 2011, 15:49 pm
@stew(stew)-164:
You tell the bit of the Truth that suits you Stew
Area 51 – they didnt come clean on what they discovered there
Moon landing – it happened, but was the film footage actually from Hollywood?
JFK – the Mafia/Warlords did it, and every President since knows it
RWC 2011 – As has been explained exhaustively, it was a plot from the word go when the votes mysteriously becames New Zealands, through the draw, to Bryce Lawrence and the pedantic and silent ref in the final. Kaplan would have reffed fairly
btw, you left out 9/11
24 Oct 2011, 15:52 pm
@Dust(Leatherdust)-174: Damn thanks Dust
24 Oct 2011, 16:27 pm
So William Webb Ellis is where it belongs…
The number one team in the world are also World Champions…
No team is allowed to challenge the haka…
So is International Rugby all about the All Blacks now… It seems the IRB have made it so… From interpretation/law changes to not following own directives on reffing appointments… to changes in pool seedings for the WC etc, etc.
So much for progress… Back to the future… Back to ’87.
The only Nation to benefit from RWC 2011 is New Zealand… International Rugby did not gain a thing… But it did lose a helluva lot.
24 Oct 2011, 16:37 pm
I wonder on what basis the Rigged World Cup was the “best ever”….?
- Best international television viewing figures out of all WC’s? (I doubt it)
- Best live attendance (I doubt it)
- Best atmosphere (farksake a dj prompted sweet caroline is nothing compared to spontaneous Sweet Chariot, Bread of Heaven or La Marseillaise singing by the crowd… maybe a taste issue here)
- Highest revenue (I doubt it)
Angazi…
24 Oct 2011, 16:38 pm
the all blacks won and good luck to them, none can deny that they finally deserved some at a wc.
the biggest travesty is that the world was denied a all black vs bok showdown at a worldcup in a knockout stage with both sides displaying some form.
thanks bryce you incompetent.
24 Oct 2011, 16:43 pm
Sweet Mary please let us choose a great coaching staff this time round.
I really liked the articulate Gary Gold on telly last night.
I’d consider keeping him as forwards coach.
If heyneke seriously is not interested and mitch has already said he is not interested and plumtree doesn’t appear either, the only other candidate to offer the job to would be gert smal.
gert smal
gary gold
niebensomebody
….and they could well then rope in a lesser know backs coach from the antipodeans.
24 Oct 2011, 16:44 pm
Incompetence means Bryce was inept, inability to perform, and didn’t know what the fark he was doing…
On the contrary Bryce knew exactly what he was doing, performed exactly what he was supposed to do and was quite competent.
Bryce was very, very competent. Do not kid yourself otherwise.
24 Oct 2011, 17:30 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-177: Your bitter posting approach makes this website worth visiting. It has to be impossible to actually be as twisted in real life as you portray yourself on this blog. You are to be commended on your satirical commentary of things rugby. You’re a champion! Wishing you a blessed four years.
24 Oct 2011, 17:39 pm
Come on South Africans stop whining.
Our team did better than we expected despite terrible coaches and a hopeless selection policy and an unimaginative skop & charge attacking strategy.
The ref was less influential than the picking of John Smit Vs Bismarck, Spies Vs Alberts to start, Vs our inability to score a try.
We have a great young team coming through. Lets focus on a winning % against Australia, NZ and Tier 1 nations continually Vs whining about the RWC. It’s over.
New Zealand won, and deservedly so. France played terrifically and came close. But lost.
That’s the game.
Played by grown men.
24 Oct 2011, 17:39 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-180: Dude. Come on. You’re posting like a poepol.
24 Oct 2011, 17:41 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-179: I dunno Brig. Gold? I couldn’t think of anything worse other than PDiv or Muir.
“Problems cannot be solved by thinking within the framework in which the problems were created”
– Albert Einstein.
24 Oct 2011, 17:42 pm
Dear IRB,
Until further notice, please hold all RWC tournaments in South Africa, they do after all have fantastic stadia. Let the South African’s choose their own referees, and hurry up with cloning Derek Bevan, he was quite popular from memory and would certainly warrant a call up.
By the way, don’t make SA play through the pool and knock out stage, just the final as obviously this is the only surefire way to crown a deserving world champion. Logically, unless a team plays and beats SA, they’re not deserving of the title. Shame on you for missing this one previously.
Should, heaven forbid, SA not win, may I suggest an immediate investigation into the conduct of the match officials and a re-match until the Springboks do win. Ask Craig to time the match on his watch that was given to him after the final, it’s really expensive so it’s bound to be accurate. Whoops, sorry, that was that chap Bevan again.
Bokke for World Champions!
Regards
The one eyed, no credit to others club.
24 Oct 2011, 17:44 pm
The International Game is now a farce with the ref being the highest common denominator of who wins or loses.
Who knows, many people enjoy WWE so International Rugby’s popularity may not wane…
24 Oct 2011, 17:44 pm
@Cane 73(Cane 73)-185: You too. Stop it.
24 Oct 2011, 17:45 pm
@Cane 73(Cane 73)-185: Funny post, but dont belittle the valid concerns
24 Oct 2011, 17:46 pm
@Cane 73(Cane 73)-185: Wow more sweeping generalizations.
24 Oct 2011, 17:46 pm
@Cane 73(Cane 73)-185: Yes, a guaranteed winner. But, no thank you. Saffa’s would probably not like to do it the Kiwi way… After all, its not really a fair contest… its not really sport.
But you can’t see that. I dont blame you or judge you, I just accept it is part of your nature.
24 Oct 2011, 17:48 pm
@bokfan1(bokfan1)-188: I agree with you. There are valid concerns but some on this site seem to find it impossible to say well done to ANY of their opposition.
24 Oct 2011, 17:49 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-190: Brilliant. Lemon with that?
24 Oct 2011, 17:51 pm
@Cane 73(Cane 73)-192: Why Lemon?
24 Oct 2011, 17:53 pm
@heboric(heboric)-189: It was just a joke heboric. I don’t post much but generally hope that I post objectively (unless trying to wind someone up of course). Point being that when we have had a hiding (most often at the hands of the Boks, without doubt NZ’s most respected rivals), I have no issue saying superb effort and congrats to the Bok supporters.
24 Oct 2011, 18:00 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-176: ‘International Rugby did not gain a thing… But it did lose a helluva lot.’
yep, principally its credibility
24 Oct 2011, 18:01 pm
@Cane 73(Cane 73)-194: “I have no issue saying superb effort and congrats to the Bok supporters.” – Boks were prevented from winning a QF in the Rigged World Cup by a Kiwi ref… and you offer congrats…Nice one.
24 Oct 2011, 18:03 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-195: Yup. Rome is burning.
24 Oct 2011, 18:12 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-196: HG, I wasn’t commenting or offering congrats on the RWC in particular. As a kiwi I was ashamed of the BL effort (or lack thereof) as were the majority of rugby fans I spoke to post the game. Your comments are not totally off the mark at all, just put across as to say we’re all (NZer’s) cheating ******** and our team never deserves a win, irrespective of how that win is crafted. Perhaps I haven’t read enough of your comments prior to RWC to understand your attitude prior to the event, but you seem particularly aggressive. Whatever floats your boat.
In my opinion, the haka has lost something of its appeal, over exposed basically, put it away for special encounters. It definitely shouldn’t be given special treatment, agreed. It is one of the longest standing traditions in rugby, but with more tests now played in a year than many ‘legends’ played in a career, perhaps it’s time for a change.
Jumping all over the place here, but the QF reffing was terrible, conceded. Not quite sure that the Boks didn’t have enough of the game to win it anyway, but I do agree with your assessment of BL. A bloody shocker.
24 Oct 2011, 18:13 pm
Who are all these newbie AB supporters who have suddenly slithered out of under their stones.
24 Oct 2011, 18:22 pm
New Zealand are deserved champions. They very nearly blew it in the final and their kicking in particular cost them. France played very well and were a bit unlucky. However the All Blacks deserved a bit of luck for a change and were the best team overall in this tournament and over the last 2 years. Something has to be done about the reffing overall. I in no way believe in conspiracies that the refs favour certain teams I just believe many are just plain poor and to much is left open to the refs own interpretation in tackle ball situations and in the scrums in particular.
I hope New Zealand get to host more RWC finals in the future. It is very important that countries where rugby is huge such as New Zealand and South Africa get to host the event. I also think the time is right for Argentina to host a World Cup. They are definately a country the Irb should be concentrating on as they can be a future winner. Forget about chasing money in markets like the US were there is little interest.
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