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, 23:25 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-297: Did Richie not knee a French player? Surely not
24 Oct 2011, 23:31 pm
“You can’t have a World Cup without the All Blacks, without any of the top nations. They’ve all got to be there just to make it a legit World Cup,” wing Richard Kahui told reporters.
24 Oct 2011, 23:32 pm
@JL1(JL1)-301: Are you utterly farken crazy. No chance…
You must be a flat earther or a believer that the World Cup was rigged of refs are corrupt… Same thing anyway.
Madness!!!
24 Oct 2011, 23:36 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-303: What was I thinking
Parra, bumped his head against the great New Zealand RWC 2011 fuzzy feeling, that must have been it. MR McCaw is nt inclined to ht anyone with the knee, no way, a scholar and a gentleman…that never cheats
24 Oct 2011, 23:42 pm
New Zealand Rugby Union chairman Mike Eagle has confirmed they want IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset out and will be voting for his rival Bill Beaumont.
It is believed that Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland along with New Zealand are behind Beaumont, while Lapasset has the support of France, Italy, South Africa, Argentina and Australia.
This means that minnows Asia, Africa, North America and Europe, have become the king-makers in this epic power struggle.
Whoever wins out eventually, it is certain that it will take a long time for the wounds to heal from this fight.
”What they’ve got to do is put self-interest aside and look at the game,” said Eagle. (!!!!????)
”We’re all here for rugby, not for self-interest, so let’s start with that. (!!!!????)
”Put all of the issues we’ve got in front of us, put self interests behind us and actually go forward as a group. (!!!!????)
”Do the best thing for a game, rather than the best thing for individual countries. (!!!!????)
”If we don’t all give a wee bit then things are never going to go ahead and we need to actually look to the future of the game.
”The only way we can go forward is if we decide what’s best for world rugby.”
(!!!!????)
Can you believe these farken people…????
24 Oct 2011, 23:43 pm
So much fishing and no bites.
Maybe some new bait?
24 Oct 2011, 23:49 pm
“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.”
Just the 1 sentence and yet puts so many pathetic jibes, here, over the years to the sword in 1 clean swipe.
25 Oct 2011, 00:01 am
you 2 boys playing nicely i see, well spare a thought 4 little old me. I that is me is the bravest person i know.
Am watching my toons readying 4 sleep when out the corner of my eye i see a large thing on the wall not even a meter away from me. Was a huge horrible big enormous spider. When it registered what i was looking at my chest went hollow and i cud actually feel and hear my heart thumping. Got a ververver large deep container and got it in useing an eggflip. When it thuded in i just wanted 2 run around screaming. I am so petrified of those hidious things. Have taken photos 2 show hub and friends cos none will believe me. Am of 2 walk dogs outside now, will never sleep.
25 Oct 2011, 00:16 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-278: Agree with all of that, and I knew excatly the French were going to front up. Our fulcrum was f’d, Weepu was all out of sorts, and like a cancer, it spread to many parts of the team. Yes, we were effected by the occassion, and yes, we played awful rugby, and yes the French also played awful rugby – but it was better than many predicted by France, and despite of all this, we hung on, and we won.
A drop goal could have won it – like it did for SA in 1995. Sport is cruel in this sense, for the winner it is all glory, the loser , well,… and yet, it can be decided by such small margins
25 Oct 2011, 01:51 am
@SodaJoe(SodaJoe)-243: Good to ‘hear’ from you again. Amazing. We were 10 expats watching here in US, urging for a NZ win, and 1 Saffa on a 1 week visit, urging France on.
So does this mean as soon as you leave SA for good, you start seeing what’s good for the global game as a whole, as opposed to getting bogged down in this petty fighting against whoever is best?
I AM GENERALIZING, AND ALSO PUTTING OUT SOME BAIT.
But I do have a point…
25 Oct 2011, 02:03 am
JL1
decline in NZ rugby??
ABs world champs
woman world champs
juniors world champs
such decline there. oh you were talking crowd numbers were you?
bwahaga how the mighty have fallen
still, what to expect from supporters of the team that came eight.
SA rugby IS k@k!!!!
25 Oct 2011, 03:08 am
okay okay okay Saffers – I have had enough of your bleating, harping, whingeing and outright dissing of NZ and the AB’s, get OVER IT losers, you were good enough to beat Australia but you didnt – end of story mate. We still remain the only unbeaten tem in RWC 2011….so we won by 1 point, I can say this for sure, the AB’s who played that game will remember it for how tough and close it was rather than if it had been a blow-out as everyone was predicting, even one that is except for the AB’s. Saffers have short memories, your Team was doomed after the 2007 Cup, deservedly won. But then it was downhill from there, you fired Jake White and where is he now, coaching the Brumbies and I am sure they will be much more improved next year. But back to the AB’s and winning the Cup, yes we will lose some good players who are on the wrong side of 29-30 but we have good replacements coming up, after all we are the U-20′s world champs and have been so for 4 years….so we wont be losing sleep on who to bring in to the AB masterclass of players and have them ready for RWC 2015, but as for SA I see nothing but heartache, in-fighting and politics, the bane of your game. Some would have us believe the players like Pierre Spies is top of the class, YEAH RIGHT, built like Tarzan and plays like Jane, Bismark is light years ahead of the marshmellow. Yes you have some good players, but you lack the skills sets to win consistently like the AB’s do. So please spare us any more of your moaning and just say, WE WEREN’T GOOD ENOUGH THIS TIME ROUND, take a break from your protestations about refs just suck it up boys, 4 more years and who knows you may not even make the quarters….wow that would be something incredible. WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD…..
25 Oct 2011, 03:50 am
@All Blacks – World Champions for A4Ys(poppa69)-311:
SA rugby IS k@k!!!!
Pops, you are spending waaaay to much time on a Saffa blog
Congrat on your team, enjoy the moment.
25 Oct 2011, 04:01 am
cheers Slarti
just a bit of fun mate. it’s only a game. 2011 WC for me personally will always be just a sad reminder unfortunately.
25 Oct 2011, 04:10 am
@All Blacks – World Champions for A4Ys(poppa69)-314:
Pops yes, it is just a game but boy can it drag us in sometimes!
I think I missed it but did your Mother pass away recently? If so my very belated condolences on that.
25 Oct 2011, 05:24 am
@All Blacks – World Champions for A4Ys(poppa69)-314: Hey Pops, I read your ma passed away. That is sad, and as you say, the RWC will have a bitter sweet taste there for you forever.
May she RIP, and may you enjoy what our team has provided for us.
Kia Kaha ! (Forever Be Strong)
25 Oct 2011, 06:24 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-298: @JL1(JL1)-294: You two guys were absolutely hilarious.This should make it to the hall of fame.Excellent.Good medicine.Now I will sleep better.Good night.
25 Oct 2011, 06:52 am
aah just another day with kiwi idiots on everybody elses sites trying to tell all and sundry how they must think and talk about the abs bless.If you dont like the bleating harping whingeing and outright dissing of nz and the abs,piss off.
25 Oct 2011, 07:08 am
Hi saffies. Ahhhh. Day 3 of being A Champ and I must say it feels rather nice ,sort of a warm fuzzy feeling,the flowers smell slightly sweeter,food seems to taster slightly better,I could get used to this. Anyway how are you Springbok fans today…..oh sorry it’s not the Springboks any more is it,it’s that weird flowery thing,the Protea is that what it’s called,funny, sounds like some sort of disease,Oh hello doctor I think I’ve got a bad dose of the Proteas.
Anyway Saffies,I’ll let you get back to your bitter biltong and leave you to contemplate The mighty Proteas finishing 8th in a Rugby world cup….poor show Saffies
25 Oct 2011, 07:19 am
319.bokke baiter
aaah day 3 of listening to bad winners after havig to listen to bad losers four the previous 20 yrs aaah bless.
25 Oct 2011, 07:21 am
@JL1(JL1)-302: So that makes ’87 and ’91….
25 Oct 2011, 07:24 am
@bokke baiter(bokke baiter)-319:
Yes, yes, we know the feeling well !!!!!!
We get to experience it a bit more often than every 24 years, enjoy it while you can, you will probably have passed on by the time AB’s win it again !!
25 Oct 2011, 07:29 am
well well…gloaters and moaners galore.
Well done ABs – enjoy it!
As for SA, lets hope whoever coaches the boks starts by targeting a win in every game, not throwing certain competitions for something that comes along every 4 years.
Hell, this RWC proved that anything can happen, whether by your own actions or those of others.
25 Oct 2011, 07:44 am
So Rassie has said no, and it seems AC is a maybe, man o man….only the English rugby administration is in a worst state than ours
Now if we can get someone like Todd Blackadder….mmmmm, now that guy can coach
25 Oct 2011, 07:57 am
Choked and still won, well done abs, maybe the first country to regain the cup…….?
25 Oct 2011, 07:58 am
Repent! Repent! Fall on your knees before Saint Richie or burn in hell all you blasphemous sinners!
25 Oct 2011, 08:02 am
retain i mean
25 Oct 2011, 08:17 am
What did one World Champ say to the other World Champ?
Let’s get some fush and chups
That’s right,cause they were Kiwis
25 Oct 2011, 08:20 am
@slavedriver(slavedriver)-318:
You make a very salient point.
25 Oct 2011, 08:37 am
I do have to say that the boasting by some AB supporters is getting nauseous.
However, I also note the majority of non AB supporters are giving only grudging congratulations when they dismiss the result as either lucky or based firmly on corruption.
25 Oct 2011, 08:43 am
@Brads(Brads)-330:
Some here, make being a gracious winner very difficult Brads.
Very difficult indeed.
25 Oct 2011, 08:44 am
Just read that the French team was fined for approaching the Haka in the manner that they did.
Now its confirmed (in my mind) that the IRB as backed by the precious Kiwis have all gone crazy not to mention precious about the Haka. Its a war dance and call to battle FFS why should other teams just have to stand there (as they normally do) and accept it whilst the gesture to cut throats etc etc
This coupled with the reffing debacle and the constant threat of NZ not to participate next time around etc etc is all just too much boys. It is starting to look like FIFA but everyone is playing with a different shape set of balls.
25 Oct 2011, 08:50 am
@All Blacks – World Champions for A4Ys(poppa69)-311: SA Rugby is k*k? So we puped the AB’s the last time we played, we have both won the WC twice, although we have had two less chances, we white washed the AB’s in 2009…..not sure you know the arse from your elbow son.
25 Oct 2011, 08:52 am
@kesbok(kesbok)-332:
Reading and comprehension is not a single skill.
25 Oct 2011, 09:08 am
334 – the point you are making is???
25 Oct 2011, 09:09 am
@Skeppie(Skeppie)-333:
“not sure you know the arse from your elbow son.”
The SARU Trophy Cabinet:
The Mandela Hubcap…………………………….gone.
The Freedom Cup…………………………gone.
Tri Nations…………………………………..gone.
Bill…………………………………………………gone.
World 7′s Series…………………………..gone.
S15…………………………………………………..gone.
SA’s IRB World ranking: Just dropped to 4.
REF Whining Rating;
SA whined about Ref in SA/Samoa Game.
SA whined about Ref in SA/ Australia Game.
Saffas whine about REF, like nauseated snivelling crybabies when AB’s win WC.
etc, etc, etc, etc,……………………..
Old Pops might know a bit more than you give him credit for.
25 Oct 2011, 09:12 am
@The Chokerman – formerly cane(cane)-336:
Oooops I nearly forgot;
SA 8= at 2011WC.
25 Oct 2011, 09:14 am
@JohnPaul(JohnPaul)-312: JohnPaul did you take your daily dose of arrogance this morning? It’s an indictment of your intellect that you cannot see that there are a lot of genuine rugby saffas on this site who have praised the AB’s and agreed that the win s fully deserved. Pity you are not one of those honest salt of the earth kiwi’s who respet the old rivalry…..plonker.
25 Oct 2011, 09:16 am
@bokke baiter(bokke baiter)-319: Geez, really want to make reference to what a cr*p bucket of a country NZ is but that would be unfair to all kiwis….so I guess i just won’t
25 Oct 2011, 09:25 am
@The Chokerman – formerly cane(cane)-331: I hear you, but some on here also make being a gracious loser difficult
25 Oct 2011, 09:28 am
@The Chokerman – formerly cane(cane)-336: Well as it has been stated by many kiwi’s on this site, it’s not all about the cups it’s also about form in between cups….using that logic, if SA Rugby is so k*k then how is it that two years ago we white washed you and beat you in our last meeting? That would by default make AB rugby k*k as well wouldn’t it? Hence the “arse from elbow” analogy
25 Oct 2011, 09:29 am
@The Chokerman – formerly cane(cane)-337: I may be setting myself up here (didn’t get my does of stats this morning) but how is it that we ended up 8th at the WC?
25 Oct 2011, 09:30 am
I am looking forward to SA appointing a new coach with a vision to putting out a team where the supporters actually believe they will win every match they contest and the opposition are genuine in their words of respect.
2009 was a pretty special year for SA, but this is 2011.
Crumbling in 2010 from the heights of 2009 and sliding further in 2011 must have been painful.
Next time, say it as it is, when the team is in decline, don’t allow the management to dismiss it as building for a trophy that has proven to be a lottery.
25 Oct 2011, 09:36 am
Excuses such as building toward the WC is a cop out and is an insult to the Springbok. When you play a rugby test you play your best and you play to win knowing that you cannot fall back on excuses. The Boks used to be that way many years ago. WC success has meant that coaches can keep the fans at bay in the hope that success is replicated every four years. No more. Not negotiable.
25 Oct 2011, 09:41 am
@Skeppie(Skeppie)-342:
Based on points from the pool matches for the teams that went out in the quarter finals, the result would be
5th SA
6th England
7th Wales
8th Argentina
25 Oct 2011, 09:42 am
@Alucard(Alucard)-47:
“I wish New Zealand many tremors the next four years”
181 people die in the Christchurch earthquake and you make jokes about it on a rugby blog.
You sad, sad little man.
I genuinely pity you.
What an introverted existence you must live.
25 Oct 2011, 09:59 am
@The Chokerman – formerly cane(cane)-336: A bit harsh surely. Roll back the clock 4 years and kiwi’s were bemoaning a certain reffing decision. Maybe we should discuss our loss at parliamentary level.
Congratulations on the victory, but surely applied commen sense once the euphoria has settled down will bring you the realisation that reffing was indeed poor at this worldcup and SA like the Blacks in 2007 suffered as a result of one of those poorly officiated games.
Like any true All Black supporter surely you want to win against the best without any refference at all to reffing blunders like I would have liked in 2007. You can only play what is in front of you though so on that basis, well done.
Since you are about making silly statements how about any team can win in their own backyard….. yawn!!!
Maybe time to be objective and relish the fatc that you are world champs.
25 Oct 2011, 10:12 am
Just watched the final again. Abs defense in the second half was punishing. Forced the French into a lot o mistakes and aimless kicking. Unfortunately, the ab’s were panicked into a lot of bad kicking themselves. I guess that is finals rugby.
Joubert could have penalized the ab’s a few more times than he did, but ditto the french. Particularly entry from the side of the Ruck and kicking at the ball – eg nallet I think it was kicked the ball out of the Rick that led to France’s try.
There were also plenty of cheap shots by the French, punches and knees to the head – a particularly blunt example being the clearly intentional knee to reads head in the second half.
In short, all if this rubbish about Joubert being biaised isnt remotely justified when the tape is watched closely if anything, he should have penalized te French a lot harder.
Before one of you saffas have to point it out – yes I agree it was an illegal entry to the side of the bokke ruck that led to the Aussie try against you. How Lawrence and his touchy failed to pick it up, i don’t know.
25 Oct 2011, 10:17 am
@corporal punishment(corporal punishment)-348: I reckon the IRB should bring back rucking and allow teams to boss the breakdowns themselves, that will create more of a contest and leave a wee bit less to the ref. A lot of people are having a go at Macaw, but he plays to the way the ref is blowing, that’s simply a class player with a lot of anticipation and grey matter, I know we would love to have him in our side!
25 Oct 2011, 10:20 am
@Skeppie(Skeppie)-342:
SA made the QF’s.
i.e. You made the last eight.
Therefore 8th equal.
A harsh way of calculating things I know. Could be 5th =.
BWTF, I prefer to be on the harsh side when evaluating the accomplishments of the Boks. I know you Guys don’t want any false credit.
8)
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