In an extraordinary decider, the All Blacks ended a 24-year drought. The French made it three defeats in the final every 12 years, losing to the All Blacks in 1987, the Wallabies in 1999, and last night.
In seven RWC finals, the team leading at half-time has always won.
The All Blacks led 5-0 at the break last night, but there was a huge question mark over the end result until the final whistle.
To put the drought in perspective, All Black full-back Israel Dagg (23), lock Simon Whitelock (23), and fly-half Aaron Cruden (22) weren’t even born when David Kirk lifted the last All Black RWC in 1987.
This time the All Blacks required four number 10s to win, in a war of attrition.
The first three succumbed to tournament-ending knee injuries – Dan Carter, Colin Slade, and last night Cruden – leaving the final tick of the box to benchman Stephen Donald who last week was fishing in the Waikato River, believing his international career was done and dusted.
He landed the All Blacks only goal, after mainstay Piri Weepu missed all three. Francois Trinh-Duc landed France’s sole goal in four as well, with top kicker Morgan Parra another number 10 casualty last night with fractured cheekbones.
But nobody can deny the All Blacks their victory. They have been by far the best side in the world for the last four years, and weren’t beaten in RWC 2011.
France lost three – 37-17 to the All Blacks, with a shock 19-12 loss to Tonga in the Pool rounds, and last night.
But on the night, it was Les Bleus who shone. They came to play.
It was the French who spun the ball wide at every opportunity, and looked dangerous.
The best forward was 77-cap veteran No 8 Imanol Harinordoquy who dominated the lineouts and the mauls, closely followed by McCaw in the loose. Harinordoquy was more devastating than his skipper and man-of-the-match Thierry Dusautoir.
The best back was another Frenchman, outside centre Aurelian Rougerie with his 71st cap, always dangerous in attack with half-breaks and setting up supports. His defence was spot-on as well.
The scrum was won by France, despite being 49 kilos lighter – 850kg to 899kg.
However, the best coach was All Black Graham Henry. In probably his swansong after 103 games for 88 wins, Henry’s incredible 84.53% success rate with a home record of 48 wins from 51 – 94.12% speaks for itself.
Having said that, Henry didn’t send the potentially dangerous centre Sonny Bill Williams into battle until the 75th minute, and that was testing providence with Ma’a Nonu out on his feet – but Henry got away with it.
Where the All Blacks won it was their defence, led by the tireless McCaw. The hosts made 111 tackles to France’s 87, the result of France’s 55% territory, and 55% possession.
But the decider had momentum thanks to South African referee Craig Joubert. He kept his whistle in his pocket as he did in the Wales-Ireland quarter final, and allowed the game to flow. At long long last.
Sure Joubert made mistakes, but he made many more good decisions than bad. The first scrum wasn’t set until the 18th minute – an unheard of stat as he played the advantage law to advantage.
My lasting memory of the final was Sir Brian Lochore, All Black legend and coach of the successful 1987 campaign, with 10-year-old Ted Murray from earthquake devastated Christchurch in a Crusader jersey, bringing out the RWC for the presentation.
It sent shivers up the spine watching the massive Sir Brian, and the diminutive blond-haired Ted walking off with their arms around each other – three generations apart, but closely knit.
Moments like that in sport leave a warm feeling. It’s not all blood and guts.
Gaullois
Guest
Nikiwi, Oh you see that you want see !!! during the 10' past, lots of penalitées for the France have not been reported, why? The referee leaves the game? Yes but only in a way, Mc Caw could do all the faults he wanted without being worried about. Look on the net there are of the revelations that claimed the referee and Mc Caw, if it is not patronage then what is? The knee kick an accident? Maybe, but not the second blow on Parra, look for the head of Parra on the Net. And yes he had still an after but on the other side of the figure. It looks like elephant man. Check also the blow on Mermoz, in full in the temple and the referee! Nothing to report. Look at when it expected a French player wounded to play, the referee tells us never to play and not to wait. Too great opportunity to take us the ball and give it to the blacks. Errors of arbitration there all the time, but not during all a match. There is a scandal because these are not errors but voluntarily is malhonnete. Shame to the ABs and the arbitrator!
Gaullois
Guest
Hi, Bonjour, I written some comments in this forum since the end of the finale...and i'm always disappointed ! Tis ABs team is not a true ABs team. No word &about French team, no thanks about the "grandeur" behavior to let the blacks to be in black, no excuse from newspaper about insults ! NOTHING If you watch again this match you can see who is the winner, if you love the rugby of course. You can say thanks to mr Joubert during the next 4 years ! Shame on the ABs and the IRB !!!
MattyP
Guest
DD, I put a c-note before the tournament on the French at 25-1 to win the whole shooting match. Merde! And after the Japan game I'd basically written it off... Mind you 6-1 in a two-horse race is just silly. I may have to move to Dublin.
frog
Guest
WE are real champions nz knows this
danisrob
Guest
My 41-11 prediction looks a bit daft. Oh well, still got the win.
Warren
Guest
David, Not to put too fine a point on it, the trophy is called the Webb Ellis Cup, and not the William Webb Ellis Trophy.
Sylvester
Guest
If the French are complaining about McCaw's knee, it'd be interesting to get their thoughts on the knee to the head Read received at least a metre from the ruck. Were France the better team on the day? Arguable if they dominate possession and territory and still finish behind on the scoreboard. Still, an immense step up by them on form during the tournament.
johnny-boy
Guest
Please tell me where I said those last two comments Nashi cos I know you're making it up. You look pretty silly trying to fabricate accusations. Soft pack, isnt that what kiwis always accuse Australia of having ? I'll say it for the umpteenth time, if kiwis want to come on this site and dish it out to Australia you should be prepared to cop it. Man up.
Dublin Dave
Guest
I'm slightly disappointed. On Saturday while passing my local bookie, I noticed that the odds on France winning were a generous 6/1. So I had a flutter. I spent most of the last 30 minutes of the match thinking "Great! I won't have to cook tonight!" so confident was I that New Zealand were imploding and that France, taking their cue from those two magnificent warriors Dusautoir and Harinordoquy were going to pull it off, thereby funding a splurge at the local Tandoori. (Well French restaurants don't do takeaways!) But New Zealand dug deep. Henry made the right substitutions. Weepu had done enough in earlier games to earn his medal; yesterday he was a liability. Henry was right to take him off in the interests of the team. Both he, and the players on the pitch, displayed the best traditional New Zealand traits of industry, pragmatism, common sense and courage under pressure. The French, who hold patents on romance, dash and elan put those qualities to the test. Their finer aspects were shiningly exhibited by their superlative back row in particular. But just as romance can degenerate into tacky effete posturing up steps the Great Muppet Lievremont to insist on giving a first cap in the last five minutes of a World Cup Final with one point separating the teams to a player who normally plays at out half and insist instead that he play at Number 9. How romantic would it be if a debutante could fashion the winning score? Quel specacle! Doussain had time to do two things: 1) Put ball into scrum. 2) Fumble ball at base of ensuing ruck, thereby turning over the last few minutes to New Zealand, who then played what the unkind might call "Northern Hemisphere Rugby" to close the game out. What this French team could do with a coach who knows "son cul" from "son coude". Anyway. I peeled my own potatoes last night.....
Minz
Guest
Four more years for us all... the RWC only comes around every four years :D
Gaullois
Guest
Oh OUI it was super. But if the ABs are greats they must says there is no sanction. RESPECT and RESPECT
Nashi
Guest
Sure JB, by all means let's be passionate and argumentative, but we should all learn to play the ball not the man. We don't have to agree just respect each other's right to a different point of view. Jibes about choking, having a soft pack etc we can all take on the chin. Calling a fellow poster a d'head or c....sucker is not what I would term acceptable.
Gaullois
Guest
Hi, Bonjour, Yes I'm a French. I found this forum par hazard... So "Sheek ", as I said yesterday in other subjetc in this forum the first french problem is not rugby but arbitrors. Not only in this finale but everytime, during the VI nations tournoi it was an it is the big problem. We are the best on North emisphere since 30 or 40 years but for us it's more difficult to win because the "british" play with 16 men each time. Blanco, Sella, Charvet, Rives, Gallion, etc... and now the last generation (chabal, Dusautoir, Harinordoquy, Parra, Clerc, Jozion, Papé, Servat...) are the best but the ref has 2 speed (french expression "a 2 vitesses" ). When we played a "british" nation We have 9-10 points given to our opponents from the start, it's like that and we know. So for us it is always hard for you even when we are better. I love rugby as all french of France south west (Vive le Stade Toulousain). ,we accept to lose to a better team, but then losing because a ref. and ABS which gives low, blows. An arbitration error once on any match that happens but that it was during all the game, the captain of the ABs was horrible in the rucks it's not Rugby, shots and ties are not reported , of the offside all the time. We should be releasing in 1 second otherwise Joubert hissed, a wounded French expected Joubert hisses and give the ball to the ABs, never did it the other way. The ABs were afraid, and this game deserve not to win. I loved the ABs but not when they win only with the arbitrator. First is the respect! I believe more that one will win a WC was fed up. Me instead of Dussautoir I would have taken the micro and I would have said this. Not a word of the blacks to the French, modesty and respect team seems to no longer be present in NZ. NZ's newpapers was abhorrent to the French team , the NZ public was not better is allows even us now whistle during the fire. In France we do not do this, but I don't know if this will last because it is sick. In 2007 arbitration decided we promptly to the Argentina who was fault on fault without ever being yardage, the Argentina, understood as "British" arbitration was not fair and had adopted the strategy of the denounce before playing and it worked. No, the ABs who were afraid, who did not play rugby stole this final with Joubert.
johnny-boy
Guest
You might regret saying that Tui. That's like inviting the opposite. I suspect a few countries will finally question this excuse of coaches and boards that any flaws are just part of building for the cup and higher standards will be required in other countries between the cup. which will result in stronger teams at the cup. I'll say this for NZ they spend the least amount of time 'building for the cup' and just get on with being the best they can all the time, although sometimes they get a bit obsessive about it and it leads to their undoing, but they just got away with it yesterday.
johnny-boy
Guest
Haha no - I've got better things to do and I enjoy the discussion. Why else do we stay here. One learns a hell of a lot. If we all agreed it would be very boring :)
Moaman
Guest
" any coward can hide behind a pseudonym…. " Something i have been thinking about...Sheek and Tristan. What would be wrong with us using our real names? I mean...we r all (presumeably) adults who come on here,united by our passion for the game andd interested in discussing it. I would be happy to have my name there beside my comments and to stand by them. Has it been tried before Tristan and what problems were there? I wouldn't get JB stalking me would i? ;-)
AndyS
Guest
Apparently Sean Fitzpatrick said something similar, along the lines of "Maybe the Kiwis didn't deserve to win this match, but they deserved to win the World Cup." Maybe he just has sour grapes too to dare question the means, but I say most folk would agree with the general sentiment.
Justin
Guest
Yep I agree with all of that. These days we love putting labels on players/teams and comparing the current to the past. Leading into last night it was this French team and the England team of 07 who were in the running for "least deserving finalist" shall we say?
Tui
Guest
The Gorilla has been kicked into the pacific. Watch the world cups pile up now like all the other silverware!
sheek
Guest
I just don't think there is such a thing as a poor rugby world cup finalist. There maybe good finalists & better finalists, but never poor finalists. All finalists have to beat somebody of account on their way to the final. Just looking through the French XV, or 22, is enough to tell you they have guys who can really play. Their problem was never rugby ability, but whatever was going on between the ears.....