Ritchie McCaw’s wry smile said it all. As the referee blew the final whistle inside the deafening cauldron of Eden Park, the Kiwi skipper sported a distinct look of satisfaction.
Something very similar, I imagine, to the look on Shane Warne’s mug the first morning he peeled back the sheets to reveal a scantily clad Liz.
But Captain McCaw had every right to grin, as not only had he played through the pain barrier to put in a dominant display, he had lead a side that was superior in all areas right across the park, save for some wayward goal kicking.
The All Blacks were on song. In perfect harmony not just throughout the Haka, but for the 80 minutes that followed as they put in a passionate performance that completely shut the Wallabies out of the game.
Australia also did themselves no favours from a tactically perspective, as their attacking play channeled the creative flair of elevator music. The Wallabies alternated between kicking deep from their own half or straight up and down box kicks from Genia when they were a little further up field. Two threats that were easily neutralized by the return kicking of Israel Dagg and the safe hands of the acrobatic Cory Jane.
The decision to resign Robbie Deans to the top Wallabies coaching job will now be heavily criticized by his sceptics and going off their impotent semi -final performance and a disappointing tournament overall, it is tough to not join the choir of the non-believers.
The decision to minimise the running of the ball, even with the clock ticking down and points greatly needed, clearly came from the top and with an entire nation willing the ball wide into the waiting hands of Ioane or O’Connor, we were instead left to bemoan mundane, safety first rugby.
With the weight of expectation of an entire nation on their shoulders, it could have been safe to assume that the All Blacks were the ones who had to deal with the immense pressure of the occasion. But right from the kick off it was Australia who were under the pump, with the NZ-born Quade Copper looking like a Rock Wallaby caught in the headlights of and oncoming Fourby as he put the opening kick out on the full.
Cooper’s entire performance was in stark contrast to the poised display from the New Zealand number 10, Aaron Cruden, who given the circumstances could have been forgiven for being a little over-oared.
But he looked more a wiley veteran who had been steering the Kiwis a number of years than a 22-year old lad who had been with the team only a matter of days as he found space on a number of occasions and slotted a precision drop goal which was made to look easy, but was later put into perspective by Dagg’s dismal attempt.
The performance of the Kiwi’s third string flyhalf shows what tremendous stocks they have in their rugby larder, especially when you consider they only have a little over two million blokes to choose from, half of which appear to be living in London. Still, it must be noted that a number of bonus Polynesians does help booster their recruit-able population.
Although some may suggest this, the entire blame for their poor performance cannot rest with Cooper and Coach Deans as many of the Wallabies were a far cry off their usual standard. This was apparent in the opening exchanges where it looked as if the All Blacks were Teflon coated with many of the Australians guilty of missing tackles. The most notable of these was Rocky Elsom’s miss on Dagg which lead to the first and only try with Nonu crossing in the corner.
The only real shining light for the Wallabies was Digby Ioane, who was electric in possession and went tantilisingly close to crossing in the first half. His surging run was backed by a tidal wave of momentum which was somehow stopped by Jerome Kaino, which proved to be a decisive point in the match.
If the Aussies had crossed there, they would have raised doubts in the minds of the All Blacks and their supporters and given the visitors a huge lift. It was a massive tackle in the whole scheme of things and next Sunday when the Kiwi’s raise the Webb Ellis trophy aloft, they can attribute part of that success to Kaino’s commitment to reeling in Digby.
David Pocock’s quarter final performance polarized opinion with him being compared to the devil by the South African corner, but seemingly threatening Julia Gillard’s position in the top job amongst the Australian faithful.
Much will be made of his back to back penalties in the ruck against the Kiwis, but truth be told he was quite unlucky with one of the infringements and still managed to return to his pilfering ways as the game went on.
The refereeing performance also deserves commendation as Joubert bucked the recent trend of being the most talked about man on the field in the post game analysis. One of the few high points for Aussie spectators was the cameo of Sonny Bill which was little more than a round of applause followed by a dropped shoulder.
There’s no doubt many a Steinlager was raised in Auckland long into the night to celebrate the All Blacks memorable win. Much of their success can be attributed to their dominance at the breakdown, which like their national lager, had only a few simple ingredients which were combined perfectly to quench a nations thirst.
At the breakdown the Kiwi’s showed agility, brute strength, teamwork and utter commitment to secure the ball time and again. When they swung the ball wide, they went up in numbers, supporting one another and their retention of the pill was rarely in doubt.
The Australians, on the other hand, were slow to arrive and lackluster once they did, meaning that on the few occasions they did use some width they faced the prospect of an immediate turnover following the tackle.
The New Zealanders, much like our beloved Warnie, should be extremely proud of how they rose to the occasion. Although they only scored one try, it was their complete control of the match and their dominance of the scrum that will be remembered for the next four years.
Added to that the fact that Australia never even looked like crossing, despite having some possession deep in the Kiwi half and all in all, it was great day to hail from the land of the long white cloud. With a comfortable round victory against the French under their belt and the confidence they took from today’s performance, next Sunday’s final is a foregone conclusion and they’ll be few floating the possibility of a French upset.
For a country that has endured a terrible year in many aspects, it will be great for the Kiwi’s to look back in years to come as say: “2011, that’s the year we won the World Cup.”
Sage
Guest
Jeremy, you're comparing 2 players on the filed with a baying crowd. You obviously think retaliation was warranted but if it happened on the field isn't that were it should stay? Shouldn't you leave Richie to sort out his own battles if that's what's required ? I think we all know he's very capable. Your argument doesn't stack up. You can't use some niggle between 2 players to justify the overreaction of most of the crowd. Nobody suggested anything about NZ bowing to Quade. Huh ??? Where did that come from ? I'd be very happy to read about Quade comments on the heaps of support he received from the locals as he walked down the street and that after the games it was all beer and skittles. I'm not being a smart a##e here either. If that was the case I would honestly be happy to see it. Do you still have it or know where it is ? Good luck on Sunday by the way. I am expecting a French belting.
jeremy
Guest
From Quade's own admittance he got heaps of support from the locals walking up and down the street, it was just at game time they got into him. Afterwards it was beer & skittles, if anything he was *more* worried about the static he'd get from the Australian media than from NZ. There's been a 180 degree turnaround on The Roar since the Brisbane match where Cooper kneed McCaw in the head. After the match it was 'Why should Cooper bow down to McCaw just because he's the All Blacks captain? It's not cheap shots, it's part of the game' ...well, by the same token, why should NZ bow down to Quade Cooper just because he's Quade Cooper? It's not crowd pressure, it's part of the game.
jeremy
Guest
To me Cooper just looks like he’s just been eating too much Rice. Time to call a dietitian me thinks. oh dear...just as well he's not dating Catherine Cox, huh? If it's dented his confidence, put his nerves on edge etc then we should see a different Quade on Friday. But the other part of me says he's surrounded by some of the most qualified sports psychologists and support staff in the world, if they can't get him into the headspace he needs then maybe he's being played in the wrong matches...
MR01
Guest
Jeremy " your teams invented the fine art of sledging, and your crowds are as feral and biased as anywhere else in the world" - very funny & very true. Although having been to league and union tests in Melbourne I have a simple comparison. When my wife asks what the difference is between legue & union, I tell her "I'd take you & the kids to a union game, but not to a league game". As for the cricket, went to a few one day games. Watching Kiwi batsmen getting booed onto the ground for their first ever match told me all I needed to know about the MCG crowd, although my cricketing friends have assured me the tests are more civilised. Got to love Melbourne - great city but definitely not the sporting capital of the world....unless it's AFL
jeremy
Guest
Dazza, With regards to Cooper's baiting by the NZ crowds, in fairness he baited them right back, labelling himself 'Public Enemy Number 1'. In every media interview went out of his way to demonstrate how unapologetic he was. Blaming the media and public for spinning this whole thing up out of control is hardly fair. Secondly, Cooper's done more than a pat to the head - he appeared before the judiciary after kneeing McCaw's head whilst McCaw was bound in ruck and facing the other way. This is after the shove in the back of the head (while McCaw was facing the other way) or the push & shove at numerous ruck times (usually while McCaw's looking at the ruck). Combine this with Cooper's frailty under pressure, unwillingness to get involved with heavy contact, the fact that Deans and McKenzie had to rearrange their backlines to hide the gaping deficiencies in defence, his heavy-handed negotiation tactics with the ARU, the News Ltd and Greg Gowden articles that get lumped into NZ's media saying Cooper is better than Carter (these started appearing after his second match for the Wallabies), the interviews where he gleefully talks about scoring the try that knocks New Zealand out of the World Cup, the inability to acknowledge that his actions might be interpreted as anything other than totally sporting....you get the picture as to why he's been given a hard time. Now onto the rest. I'm a proud Kiwi. My wife is an Australian who I met in New Zealand, and we both live in Melbourne. We've been to enough sports events on both sides of the Tasman to fairly comment on both. Personally, I don't attend sporting matches to get boozed or antagonise the rest of the crowd - I'm there for the sport. My observation is that there are asshats in every crowd, everywhere. Both my wife and I have been the subject of taunts about our heritage ('Leave our sheep alone' shouted at me in a Melbourne rail car; 'Hide your wallets, there's an Australian' shouted at her at Eden Park) and we've been on the receiving end of beverage vessels simply by being in front of liquored-up people wearing different colours to us. And this is at the rugby, supposedly the thinking man's sport. - At the football, I've been spat at for waving a 'Go All Whites' flag. In Melbourne. At the MCG.... - At the league, I've been subjected to forty minutes of unimaginative verbal effluent from drunken Kangaroo-fan bogans who threw food, wrappers and bottles at myself and two other kiwis. Why? Because we were supporting New Zealand. - At the CWG Sevens, I was lucky enough to sit the row behind an Australian fan who contented himself with shouting 'Black c*nts' at the NZ Sevens team as it went past. - As for the cricket....haven't had the pleasure to attend in Australia yet, but let's ask the English or Indian cricket teams whether they've ever been on the receiving end of the displeasure of an Australian crowd. So you can understand why I'm mystified that Australian fans are up in arms about the crowds getting right into Cooper and the Australian team - your teams invented the fine art of sledging, and your crowds are as feral and biased as anywhere else in the world. A final thought....there are supporters of 19 teams in the tournament who have had an absolute whale of a time and loved the support from the host country. And then there are the Australians who are upset because they're not feeling the love from the Shaky Isles, without having been to the matches, met the people, and experienced the environment outside of the Fox Sports coverage. Sorry if the tournament's changed your opinion of New Zealand, but maybe it'd be best if you visited to see what it's like first-hand...
jeremy
Guest
Tui? ewww....just cos it's on sale at the grounds doesn't mean we like it! Monteiths for me, please!
Sage
Guest
How would you know how much I've seen stillmatic. You wouldn't have a clue. I've been around longer than I care to mention. Quade "coveting the attention" I adressed earlier. The problem is that the notion of "all roses afterwards" didn't apply this time. I really wish it did and that's the whole point. The other factor in play here was the Kiwi Spectator Rugby Court. Quade was summarily tried and convicted with an unforgiveable offense which therefore gave the nation the unfettered right to treat him however they deemed appropriate. Some were fine, otheres not so. My point is the notion of "appropriate" has obviously changed.
Sage
Guest
If only it was like that this time though stillmatic. Glad you clapped Big kev's speech and the WB's off the field, as it should be. Unfortunately though, it was after 6 weeks of very poor behaviour (not by you n the missus I'm sure) toward one selected player. I think it's a very fair point. It's been made after talking with a number of Kiwi's over here and friends who were at the games. I am not outraged at all and I can assure you there is no "mock" in it either.
Sage
Guest
I don't think he intended to egg anything on. I also don't think he's particularly bright. What else was he supposed to say Mace when he was told he was enemy number 1 by the Kiwi's though ? "Oh I don't like that, I wish you'd all like me", or should he have tried to ignore it and say "it doesn't bother me", and try and use it as motivation. Pretty obvious I would have thought. Nobody would want to admit it was getting to them. And stillmatic, make up my mind about what ? My mind is very clear. I understand why you'd want to simply dismiss what I've said. Allocating it to the whinging and whining bin is far Easier to deal with, no doubt. I've never thought about you guys as Barbarian's. We've always had a healthy rivalry. That was the whole point of my post you boofhead.
Matt in Norway
Guest
Shaggers, cheers for the good read mate, the link you posted above as well. As a kiwi who has lived in Australia in the past (a kiwi that has lived in Australia? Nooooo...), I do appreciate the Aussie humour, nothing better than watching a Wallabies vs AB's test with aussie mates, I still have a chuckle about some of the cheek they would dish out, it was almost always clever humour. In fact, the banter I have experienced in Australia and NZ has only ever been in good humour, at pubs, at the ground, where ever. True story, Sydney 2000, greatest game ever played, I was sitting in the stands behind the Aussie try line in the second half, Jonah goes over and scores the winner, I get up on my seat in a drunken manner, fists pumping the air, giving it to the Aussie blokes behind me only to fall through the bloody seat and look like an utter nob. The two blokes that helped me to my feet again, albeit laughing hysterically, we wearing Aussie colours, 'good game' one of them said, 'you bastards' the other said grinning. So, let's not get all precious about who has the worst fans, it's just a dumb argument, unless there is some sort of mystery 'fan-o-metre' that no one has told me about, it's a moot point. This finals spot, and hopefully the cup win just means so much to us kiwis, I am not sure that Aussie fans totally understand it to be honest, being so bloody good at every other sport. So if we are gorillas or a little uncouth, please forgive us, we are just perhaps overly passionate about our rugby.
stillmatic1
Guest
you actually havent seen much before then sage. or choose to forget what australians have done in support of their team. quade coveted the attention remember, or do you choose to forget that or dismiss it. its easy to exhibit mock outrage if one wants to, doesnt mean you are right or wrong, just easily swayed. personally, i'll give as good as i get during the game, but its all roses afterwards, and thats the true measure. part of the problem with quade is that he isnt into getting hurt or fronting up, and the little niggle exacerbates the issue. if he was getting stuck in and then did the niggle, no problems, but he doesnt. if you remember when you played sport, that sort of thing was frowned upon too. they are called "cheap" shots for a reason.
stillmatic1
Guest
glass houses champ, you heard of them? if we are all so vengeful and dont deserve what the abs give us, do you deserve what the wallabies give you? and what is the definition of a supporter? and who gets to be more hypocritical, australians or kiwis? isnt sport tribal and brings all kinds of emotions out?
stillmatic1
Guest
i seem to recall the wallabies got clapped off the field by everyone, including the so called ignorant hateful kiwis. during the 80 minutes its all fair game, and everyone gives as good as they get. poor little quade copped it most and rightly so, but if you think the majority of people give 2 hoots about him away from the footy/media, then you are mistaken. my missus and i were part of the section screaming "4 more years" but we all clapped horwills speech and the wallabies off the field, so spare me your mock outrage. your name suggests you are much more wise and thoughtful and less prone to thoughts that are the domain of the lowest common denominator, so keep your head up. its sport and we hate you, after its done, we shake hands and enjoy eachothers company.
stillmatic1
Guest
yes sage, because you (maybe not personally) hypocrites are just so much better. make up your mind champ. in the heat of battle we are all hypocrites, but your whinging and moaning shows your obvious bias. when your glass houses are made of stronger stuff, then you can rabbit on about people from elsewhere. remember, every neighbour thinks the other is a barbarian!!
mace 22
Guest
yes you did still got those shots, i'll have them.
mace 22
Guest
Yes sage but it could all been averted.If quade hadn't of egged it on by saying he didn't mind being enemy no1 and it didn't bother him. When asked questions about the incidents he could have down played it or even better said nothing at all, or even apologised even if he thought he had nothing to apologise for. That would've killed it off at the bud.
Sage
Guest
Mace, this pre-dates Sunday if that's what you're referring to. I don't begrudge the AB's the win at all. I consider them the best and the best won with a great display of Rugby. I also am generally very fond of Kiwi's. I have some very fine Kiwi friends (who also aren't proud of their crowd behaviour) and business associates. I have also travelled there a few times and have met with some truly wonderful people. I may be a few things Mace but bitter certainly isn't one of them. My comments are about what has gone down this time regarding a personal attack on a specific player. I think that's pretty clear from what I wrote. If you want to dismiss it out of hand because you think I'm "bitter", well dismiss away. This isn't an anti Kiwi rant, this is a person who values the long and close history of our countries but is a little dismayed with the level of personal hate and bitterness we've all just witnessed toward Quade.
Sage
Guest
He was referring to supporting the AB's Mace, not you. And yes p.Tah, thankfully there are plenty of decent Kiwi's.
Sage
Guest
I wrote it early yesterday afternoon Mace. Try and keep up mate !
jeznez
Roar Guru
Shag, I never heard a whisper against Devine - where are you going with that?