New Zealand are champions of the world after the most nervous of 8-7 victories over France at Eden Park in a gripping Sunday final.
The All Blacks led 5-0 at the break of a bruising affair, a solitary try from Tony Woodcock separating the sides. Replacement Stephen Donald’s second half penalty pushed them further clear, before a try from French skipper Thierry Dusautoir dragged France back within the minimum.
More than half an hour remained and it was dominated by the French. But they could not get over the line, leaving the All Blacks to celebrate a first Webb Ellis trophy title for 24 years as Graham Henry’s side made up for their quarter-final collapse to the same opposition four years ago.
The game began, as it should have, with frantic intensity as the sides looked to lay down a marker. Predictably it was the All Blacks who made most of the early ground, but their first penalty attempt was badly squandered by Piri Weepu who would not be one of the star men on show in this one.
After surviving that scare, France suffered a real heavy blow – literally. Fly-half Morgan Parra found himself dazed after the knee of Kiwi captain Richie McCaw connected with his head during a fierce line-out contest. He was temporarily replaced by Francois Trinh-Duc and, though he later came back onto the field, Parra was unable to last with the substitution made permanent in the 22nd minute.
Marc Lievremont’s men earlier suffered another heavy setback as they conceded a try that was as simple as it was crushing. After Dusautoir was penalised for holding on after a line-out, Weepu kicked to bring about another line-out. Jerome Kaino seized possession from this one and, with Kieran Read keeping Imanol Harinordoquy at bay, kicked the ball through a gaping hole in the French defence for loosehead prop Woodcock to ease into space and touch down on the right. Weepu could not make the conversion, but New Zealand had an advantage of 5-0 on the board.
After Parra returned and departed again in double quick time, his replacement Trinh-Duc gave away a penalty that was badly spurned again by Weepu, the IRB World Player of the Year contender bringing the tally of points he had left behind him to eight. His team-mates, though, did come close to a second try when fine work from Read resulted in Richard Kahui booting the ball towards the left corner in the hope that McCaw would latch onto it. However, the kick was just too close to the line, allowing Aurelien Rougerie to ground it safely and leave France’s deficit at five.
New Zealand then emulated France in a sad manner as they also lost their number ten, the impressive young gun Aaron Cruden going over horribly on his knee to be replaced – crucially – by Donald. Donald's fellow replacement Trinh-Duc decided against going for goal with a long-range penalty, but moments later missed anyway with a drop goal attempt to leave his side scoreless at the break.
McCaw gifted them the chance to get on the board just after the restart, but again a penalty was missed in a tournament of misses as Dimitri Yachvili got close but not close enough. He was punished immediately as New Zealand won their own penalty and their fourth-choice kicker Donald proved spot on.
However, rather than spurn Henry’s men into running away with it, that score was the last time they felt comfortable in the game. Almost instantly the French launched a marauding attack at the other end and straight away had it back at 8-7.
Trinh-Duc inspired it, the replacement surging through the middle after collecting another woeful Weepu kick. Yachvili almost lost it thereafter, but Rougerie took up possession and saw it through to Dusautoir who found the space to touch down right by the posts. It was an easy conversion for Trinh-Duc and the game was very much on.
Despite having lost Clerc to another injury (with Damien Traille coming on), the half hour plus that remained then saw the French look like a team almost for the first time this tournament as they tormented an All Blacks outfit whose nerves just grew and grew.
Intense French pressure led to another penalty chance a good bit out for Trinh-Duc but he just could not make it, his miss giving the All Blacks the lift they needed as their own game had gone missing.
Rougerie, another brave and impressive performer for Les Bleus, came close to finding a gap after a patient 18-man France move but debutant replacement Jean-Marc Doussain was turned over as New Zealand found room to breathe. A penalty in the last minute, after they had broken into the French half, then saw the ball booted high into the night sky as the home supporters went wild to the sound of full-time.
Four years ago a Dusautoir try was the catalyst for France to sink New Zealand in the World Cup quarter-final. Four years on Henry must have feared that it was about to happen once again, but his men held on, McCaw lifted the trophy and 24 long years of hurt came to an end.