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For the first time since the inception of the Rugby World Cup, the best team in the world was the winner, the best team of the tournament was the winner, and the best team on the day was the winner. There can be no arguments.
No upsets marred the final stages or influenced the overall outcome. All the teams that made the semi-finals were deservedly there, and all semi-finalists were beaten during the tournament by the eventual winner.
The upsets which made every previous win slightly contentious to a greater of lesser degree are as follows.
In 1987, one of the favourites, Australia, were upset in the semi-final by France, giving the All Blacks a potentially easier final than it could have been. The Springboks were also not there and South Africans will always argue that this makes the result flawed from the start.
France played their final the week before and had less to give in the big dance. This is not to say that the All Blacks would not have won had they played Australia, but we will never know.
In 1991 the Springboks were still not there. Otherwise, this was possibly the only other year when there were no disputes in the actual playing of the tournament. Having disposed of the All Blacks in their semi, Australia clinched the final as the best team at the tournament and on the day, but without having played the Springboks they could not be totally sure about being the best in the world.
In 1995, Suzie cast her malevolent influence over the final and threw shade on South Africa’s claim to be the best side in the world or even the best of the tournament. Even if Suzie was merely a figment of Laurie Mains’ fevered imagination, the South African win in the final was still an upset and the focus for debate ever since.
In 1999, France again upset the apple cart by turning over one of the favourites and ensuring that endless debate would rage as to whether Australia were the best team in the world or the tournament, or simply lucky to have played a team that had already played their final.
2003 is a difficult one. Although England were a pretty good favourite, the rising All Blacks had claims on being the best team at the tournament, until knocked over by a resurgent Australia in the semi. England’s struggle to put Australia away in the final with their ageing team and the tied result at the end of full time mean they struggle to claim ‘best on the day’ status.
Possibly the All Blacks may have had the measure of England had they reached the final, but we will never know. England’s collapse in the years following their win also throws a shadow on their ‘best in the world’ status.
In 2007 South Africa won the easiest World Cup ever. Their road to glory included the 12th ranked team, Fiji, the eighth ranked team, Argentina, and the fifth ranked, England. While they were easily best on the day of the final, it’s a struggle to consider them best in the world or even best in the tournament.
They made the rule interpretations at the time work for them, but they were fortunate that the other side of the draw saw all the teams that played a different style of game knock themselves out.
In 2011 New Zealand were clearly best in the world and best in the tournament, but their win had the shadow of not actually being the best team in the second half of the final. With a less kindly ref, they may have struggled to win the final, and many people claim France was robbed.
But in the 2015 tournament, the All Blacks beat every team that reached the semi-finals, beat both the second and third ranked teams in the world, are comfortably ranked number one, and completely dominated the final for all but 10 minutes when they played with 14 men.
There can be no argument – they were best in the world, best in the tournament and best on the day.
This All Black team are the first undisputed world champions in the World Cup era. They are rightly considered one of the greatest teams to play the game, and quite possibly the greatest team of all time.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.