Matthew Rye
Sports Editor
New Zealand have finally scratch a 24 year itch, and achieved victory the Rugby World Cup. The All Blacks, coached by Graham Henry, narrowly beat a French team that, despite showing poor performances throughout the tournament, turned up in spades when it mattered most. New Zealand eventually finished 7-8 winners, and frankly, nobody could have written this script.
The score line suggests something of and disenchanting encounter. However it was anything but that. The passion and effort of both sets of players, was something to behold, usurping all premonitions about the French team and how they may have stumbled into the World Cup final, beating an under-par England side, and a Warburton-less Wales.
Nothing can be taken away from New Zealand, who dug deep, and despite losing not one, not two but three different out-halves, managed to pull through in the end, with Stephen Donald kicking the decisive kick from in front of the posts.
Goal kicking was a problem for the All Blacks all day. Piri Weepu missed three kicks in the first half, all by considerable margins, which didn’t do anything to help the heart rates of the predominantly New Zealand crowd.
France’s luck wasn’t helped much either, as Morgan Parra had to retire due to a head injury, early in the first half, as a result of the compounding impacts from Ma’a Nonu and Richie McCaw. His substitute Trinh-Duc added stability and balance to the French backline, something which has been lacking for the greater part of Marc Lievremont’s tenure.
New Zealand’s only try came in the opening 15 minutes, and was borne straight from the training ground. From a lineout on the French try line, while everybody was watching the New Zealand backs, veteran prop Tony Woodcock received the ball from Jerome Kaino, and darted through the floundering French defence to put New Zealand.
The French defence was made to work very hard for most of the first half. Thierry Dusatoir and Imanol Harinordoquy led the French defensive line superbly, and were able to prevent a dangerous New Zealand backline from making much headway. The All Blacks did look dangerous the manufactured quick ruck ball, but this was few and far between, as the French front five did well in the first half to prevent this from happening.
When France did have the ball, they looked dangerous, especially from counter-attacks. Trinh-Duc had pace to burn, where his predecessor had none. Mermoz and Palisson, who for the majority of the tournament were dormant, suddenly looked like attacking threats.
Aaron Cruden, who originally started for New Zealand, also had to retire due to injury, after a painful looking knee hyperextension. This introduced Stephen Donald into the game,
New Zealand were still dominating the territorial battle, and squeezed France for long periods. They failed, however, to capitalise on their opportunities, and walked in to the dressing rooms at half-time five points up.
The French caught fire early in the second half, culminating in a crucially-missed Yachvili penalty.
New Zealand followed it up with Richard Kahui making an excellent catch off Israel Dagg’s kick. The resulting phases culminated in Stephen Donald narrowly slotted.
France atoned for the missed opportunity immediately, with Thierry Dusatoir scoring under the posts, after running a superb line off Auriele Rougerie. The original break came from a misplaced chip from Piri Weepu, who had a sub-par second half, and was promptly substituted after kicking the ball out on the full following the resulting restart.
Frayed doesn’t even begin to describe New Zealand nerves at this point. However they managed to hang on for the remaining fifteen minutes, and eventually, despite having no structurally evident backline, managed to fall over the line to get that 24-year gorilla-sized monkey off their back.
The French performance was typically unpredictable, and to a point, exactly what anybody could have expected. Trying to predict how France will play has been an unanswerable question which has plagued experts for years. This reporter has long given up. The last thing that could have been expected from France was a stoic, brave performance, in which they were ultimately outclassed by a better side. But alas, that’s what we got.
France were imposing and consistent in defence. Dusatoir was omnipresent and deserved his Man of the Match award twice over. They were threatening in attack, dominant at scrum time and disruptive at the lineout. They did nothing the way anybody expected them too, which is , in some ways, exactly what was to be expected.
But this wasn’t a tournament that France lost; this was a tournament that New Zealand won.
With the amount of obstacles in their way, it seemed the world was against them. No Daniel Carter, no Colin Slade, a one-legged Richie McCaw, the weight of expectation, and a 24-year wait for a final couldn’t stop the core of this team from getting their hands on the Webb-Ellis trophy.
In the end, it was a victory for rugby, as the All Blacks have displayed some of the finest rugby this tournament has produced, in this competition. Israel Dagg has been a breakout star, Richie McCaw has never shirked responsibility from the opening. Ma’a Nonu has been a candidate for player of the tournament, and overall, in this game, and in the tournament as a whole, they played all the rugby.
A 24 year itch that needed scratching, New Zealand have finally relinquished their self-imposed shackles which have irrepressibly held them prisoner for so long. They emerge from a fantastic tournament deserving winners. Hats off to All Blacks.
