The World Cup final. Is there any more depressing occasion on the sporting calendar?
The last time a World Cup final gave me any pleasure whatsoever was 1999, when one of the most ruthless Wallaby XVs of all time remorselessly squashed a French team still celebrating its absurdly unlikely semi-final victory.
Since then it’s been nothing but misery. The misery of seeing the All Blacks toss my favourite monkey off their back in 2011. The dull ache of seeing the Springboks kick their way to victory in 2007, an ache only slightly alleviated by the pleasurable twinge of an English loss.
And in 2003, the greatest agony of all – my country losing in extra time. Not just losing in extra time, but losing in extra time to a team coached by Clive Woodward. It was like watching a director’s cut of Lord of the Rings where Sauron drop-kicks Frodo into the volcano.
And here we are again, with more unremitting sadness looming ahead. This weekend offers the chance for joy unconfined, but a much bigger chance of sinking into a desolate funk that cannot be alleviated except by watching David Campese’s no-look pass to Tim Horan in 1991 on a loop for six hours.
It’s moments like these when I wish we could play World Cups without a final. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we just stopped now? We remember the good times, we avoid the unpleasantness of the final, and everyone goes home happy, except the Scottish who are probably used to it because they live in Scotland.
But no, the IRB killjoys, like Darrell Hair on Australia Day 1993, have gone and ruined everything by scheduling a final, and Australia has to play in it against New Zealand, and although there’s a tiny part of me that whispers, maybe all your dreams will come true, there’s a much larger part of me screaming at the top of its lungs that Australia hardly ever beats New Zealand, and the more desperately we hope for it, the lower the probability gets.
So instead of wasting time on pointless nonsense like hope or optimism, let’s prepare for the inevitable. In the gloom and devastation of Sunday morning, remembering to tell ourselves the following will help ease the pain.
1. It was a moral victory
This is a pretty safe bet. It’s almost certain that the Wallabies will win a moral victory. In fact, moral victories are an excellent aim for any efficient sporting team, as the bar is considerably lower than for actual victories.
If we’re lucky, we’ll be given something really convincing to latch on to, like Australia scoring more tries than New Zealand.
If the Wallabies manage three tries to two, their defeat will be incredibly creditable and very much worth consoling ourselves with. But even if they can’t manage that, we’ll be able to take comfort in gutsy defence, adventurous attack, a surprisingly strong scrum, and any period of the game lasting five minutes or more in which Australia is not behind.
Also if New Zealand score any tries from intercepts, kicks or seizing on Wallaby knock-ons, they don’t really count, in a moral sense.
2. Bad goal-kicking cost us
This is almost certain to happen, because they have Dan Carter and we have Bernard Foley. And bad goal-kicking can ruin any team’s chances. Even if Australia loses by forty, we’ll know, deep down, that if Foley had nailed that penalty in the third minute, anything could’ve happened.
3. Australia’s chances were cruelled by injuries
Israel Folau is going into the game with a dodgy ankle, and that’s bound to cost us. Probably if he was at his explosive best Australia would’ve given the All Blacks a run for their money. If we’re really lucky David Pocock and Scott Sio will suffer flare-ups of their injuries too.
The perfect outcome would be so many serious injuries in the first half that the second half is only played with twelve men. Then no matter what the score is, it’ll be an utterly heroic Wallaby effort.
4. Richie McCaw cheated
This is the safest bet in all of world sport, so use it liberally.
5. All the other All Blacks cheated as well
The great thing about rugby is that nobody really understands what’s going on half the time, so there is ample opportunity to make dark accusations about nefarious doings at set pieces and breakdowns.
It’s a pretty safe bet that Australia’s loss will be down to the All Blacks killing the ball, entering from the side and interfering with the halfback, not to mention standing offside the whole game. Also, the Kiwi front row will deploy illegal tactics in the scrum, probably. At least, if they don’t, no one will be able to tell – including the Kiwi front row themselves in all likelihood.
6. The referee was out to get us
Given 4 and 5, this is self-evident.
7. It was Quade Cooper’s fault
This is a slightly tougher sell, given Cooper will not be playing, but reality has rarely prevented anyone from blaming him for whatever they feel like in the past.
8. The coach is rubbish
This is the most traditional of Wallaby excuses of all. Records indicate that every Australian coach for the last hundred years has become rubbish within seconds of their first loss. Michael Cheika may have been able to fool us until now, but when McCaw hoists that trophy it will become clear just how incompetent he is – what chance did these brave players even have, with this halfwit at the helm?
9. Food poisoning
As they say, learn from the best, and the All Blacks are the best team in the world, so it’s only sensible to borrow from their playbook. This is just as true for World Cup final-losing excuses as it is for training methods and backline formations.
10. Lack of public support
How can our boys be expected to win when the local media are so negative about their chances? It’s amazing they made the final at all, when you consider articles like this one.
Frisky
Guest
Is there life outside rugby????
atlas
Guest
looking at the other articles here today and accompanying posts - you're dead right, by lunchtime almost every excuse above will have been used (where's Quade?)
Grahame
Guest
This article and many of the add on comments is not comedy. This is great foresight and prophesy. We will see how many of these excuse options will emerge in the next few days!
Dopplerman
Guest
hehe tongue in cheek of course ............ For me I just cant wait for the fox sports team to start criticising the ref and calling McCaw a cheat .........Ho Hum
Mike Huber
Roar Pro
At least we have lives outside Rugby !!!
Kirky
Roar Rookie
It's called Inferiority Complex or the almost total inability to cut that"tall poppy" down, You Aussie rugbyites are guilty of both and you have it in spades!
Walla
Guest
Ben, you forgot the obvious reason - no other country plays four major codes of football. If Aus only played three codes, like everyone else, the All Blacks wouldn't stand a chance against us.
Torchbearer
Guest
got my excuse ready too..... It was a win for the Wallabies just to make the final.
Vinny
Guest
Excellent excuses
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Excellent Ben, nice to see the comedic side to this week !
wardad
Guest
All of the above and I would still be happy with the ABs winning . Poor Frodo ,but at least Sam Gamgee wouldnt have to put up with any more of his whingeing . Obviously I am to be moderated by the anti Sam Gangee cartel . And now I'm not being moderated ,the cunning devils know I'm easily confused ....
Chris of Vic
Guest
But it is Quade Coopers fault, if he wasn't fluffing around with the reserves we wouldn't be relying on Diet Larkham - Looks like the real thing but can be low on fizz and leave you with an uncomfortable feeling in your belly.
Simon Baggott
Roar Rookie
- Richie McCaw not suspended for a stray elbow - Read not suspended for a choke tackle - Roosters not resigning SBW - Not selecting O'Connor, Karmichael Hunt, Horwill, Kerevi, Higginbotham, Cooper - Pocock not captain - Benn Robinson & Ben Alexander not picked - Tony Abbott and The Liberals game private schools too many rebates, thus meaning that more useless private schoolboys who don't have a Steve Waugh edge to them are in the side - Negative Gearing means young people cant afford to live in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane and as a result end up playing cricket or AFL.
DaniE
Roar Guru
You've settled my nerves Ben, thanks so much. I will keep this page open so I can refer to it during the bitter moments tomorrow night. Ok on second thought my nerves might not actually be settled yet...
Ralph
Guest
At least you beat the Poms, that's all that really matters.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Top article again ben! I love the moral victory the most, simply brilliant!
Noodles
Guest
What about the biggie? ARU screwed us with their appalling management of oz refs. No oz ref is good enough for RWC so the ABs got say with murder on the soft side of the draw when they should have been penalised off the park!!!!
DCNZ
Guest
I reckon if the All Blacks win the final, Aussie supporters should take this tack: 1) We would have won if Folau was fit. 2) Nigel Owens favoured the ABs again. 3) the ABs, especially McCheat, were offside all night. 4) At least we smashed England, unlike the ABs who had an easy run to the final and were lucky vs the Boks 5) We would have won if Quadey started. Good luck everyone!
The Sheriff
Guest
Excellent writing Ben. Trouble is, I have used most of those in previous encounters.
Jonty23
Guest
Don't forget the old chestnut ' Robbie Deans is to blame"