Rugby World Cup - New Zealand are World Champions – at last!
Last updated 10/31/2011 10:42:15 AM
Rugby World Cup - New Zealand are World Champions
France made the All Blacks fight to the dying seconds to clinch their first World Cup in 24 years.
But far from the runaway victory the entire rugby mad country expected it was by a single point against French team who thumbed their noses at all their critics and produced a display worthy of a final.
Tony Woodcock's early try and a penalty from fourth-choice fly-half Stephen Donald were enough to see the All Blacks home in an extraordinary match that defied all logic.
France produced easily their best performance of the tournament and were close to pulling off one of the great upsets after captain Thierry Dusatoir's try with half an hour remaining set up a finale no one could have expected.
But, once again, it was kicking which cost the French and, throughout the entire tournament, kickers have had trouble with the ball, making crucial differences to matches throughout.
This time it was Francois Trinh-Duc who missed a long-range penalty before desperate defence saw the favourites hang on for a famous win.
New Zealand killed the final three minutes , moving no more than a couple of yards until the referees whistle gave them the chance to set off the country wide celebrations as the ball was kicked into touch.
Eden Park went wild for this is the number one sport in the country and they have been bitterly disappointed not to have won the trophy they feel belongs to them since the very first in 1987. They join South Africa and Australia as the only two time winners.
An already vibrant atmosphere within the ground before the start had been stoked further when France's players formed an arrow formation to face down the haka, and then advanced slowly over halfway as the capacity crowd roared.
The drama seemed to unsettle the players, both sides making early errors, and when Piri Weepu pulled a penalty badly wide the nerves began to spread to the stands.
With one well-worked line-out move they were soon silenced. Weepu put a penalty into the corner, Jerome Kaino took the ball off the top and popped it down into the arms of the advancing Woodcock to put the veteran prop through a gaping hole.
For all their good early work they found themselves on the end of some harsh decisions from referee Craig Joubert at the scrum and breakdown. He also missed three extremely high tackles as the Kiwis sought to impose their physicality on the French.
New Zealand's problems at fly half continued and they were forced to use their fourth player in the position when Aaron Cruden damaged his knee and was carried off the pitch, forcing Graham Henry to bring on Donald - who was fishing for whitebait a fortnight ago before injuries to Dan Carter and Colin Slade triggered his emergency call-up.
Skipper Dusautoir's try made it a tense final half-hour and Eden Park was stunned, with Trinh-Duc converting for 8-7 and the previously impregnable home side badly rattled.
With the seconds slipping away and the gap just one point, France went through an 18-phase attack that made little ground but resulted in an attacking scrum on the New Zealand 10m line, only for the hosts to steal the ball back when Aurelien Rougerie was wrapped up.
The All Blacks drove upfield, using up the remaining moments, and when Joubert blew for another French infringement, the biggest party in New Zealand's history was under way.
New Zealand: Israel Dagg, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Richard Kahui, Aaron Cruden, Piri Weepu; Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu, Owen Franks, Sam Whitelock, Brad Thorn, Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw (capt), Kieran Read.
Replacements: Andrew Hore (for Mealamu, 49), Ben Franks, Ali Williams (for Whitelock, 48), Adam Thomson, Andy Ellis (for Weepu, 49), Stephen Donald (for Cruden, 34), Sonny Bill Williams (for Nonu, 76).
France: Maxime Médard, Vincent Clerc, Aurélien Rougerie Maxime Mermoz, Alexis Palisson, Morgan Parra, Dimitri Yachvili; Jean-Baptiste Poux, William Servat, Nicolas Mas, Pascal Papé, Lionel Nallet, Thierry Dusautoir (capt), Julien Bonnaire, Imanol Harinordoquy.
Replacements: Dimitri Szarzewski (for Servat, 65), Fabien Barcella (for Poux, 65) Julien Pierre (for Pape, 70), Fulgence Ouedraogo, Jean-Marc Doussain (for Yachvili, 76), François Trinh-Duc (temp for Parra, 12-17, then 22) Damien Traille (for Clerc, 45).
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)