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Let me start off by saying that Saturday was the most amazing Rugby World Cup day I’ve ever experienced. England and France beating Australia and New Zealand on the same day was as incredibly exciting as it was unexpected, a true double stunner that has thrown the chase for the Webb Ellis Cup wide open.
England have sent Australia home from the world cup three times, in 1995, 2003, and now 2007. The Wallabies dearly missed the incisive running of playmaker Stephen Larkham but the real reason they lost was that they simply got manhandled up front by the English pack. Right to the very end I thought Australia was going to somehow pull out the win but it wasn’t to be and as a result their quest for a third world title is over.
The Australian rugby public wasn’t necessarily expecting this team to go all the way to the final on October 20 but it was sort of a given that at the very least they’d make the semifinals so there’s plenty of disappointment down under right about now. There are significant changes coming to the Wallabies in the very near future, including a new coach and a new era without George Gregan, Stephen Larkham, and probably Chris Latham as well.
The huge numbers of England fans thoroughly enjoyed their team’s victory and it essentially wiped the slate clean of all the disappointing outing in the last year because instead of heading home early they’re still the defending champions and they’re still in the tournament!
After the match Marseille was jumping once again. I walked back to my hotel from the Stade Velodrome amongst a moving sea of supporters. The police had shut off many of the streets around the harbor and they were flooded with rugby people. Ray Viers, Dave Sitton, Mark Thomas, Johnnie Cocks and I settled in at O’Malley’s pub for some Guinness and some more rugby on the tube from Cardiff. What happened next is still a little bit unbelievable.
At numerous points in the match it looked like New Zealand was going to pull away from France and put their demons to rest but lightning struck again in the form of another passionate French performance. The atmosphere in the bar – which was packed to the rafters with singing Frenchmen – was electric and after the Tricolors emerged victorious the whole city seemed to get an enormous boost of energy.
Les Bleus have beaten the favorite All Blacks and that means the entire nation will be keyed up for a repeat of 1998 when France won the soccer world cup at the Stade de France. Awesome!
October 8, 2007 at 2:40 am
Oce again the Kiwi’s choke on the big stage. I’m admirer of New Zealand Rugby and think they produce the best players in the world, but for some reason when the World Cup rolls around they disappoint. This current failure has to be chalked up to a soft walk through pool play.
France was battle tested and even though New Zealand controlled the majority of the ball possession the French didn’t falter defensively nor concede silly penalties. The winning try was clearly a forward pass, but as I was taught you play to the whistle and the French finished the movement then held on for dear life.
Another disappointing end to New Zealand’s World Cup journey.