True grit wins the day for relieved All Blacks

DUNCAN JOHNSTONE Last updated 23:19 23/10/2011

OPINION: There's no World Cup glory without guts and the All Blacks oozed plenty of that to end 24 years of agony at Eden Park last night.

All Blacks fans always said a one point win would be enough to satisfy them and that's all Richie McCaw's brave men dished up, grinding past France 8-7.

It was an unlikely scoreline but these finals have a habit of dishing those up.

There had been just nine tries in the six finals up till now and only prop Tony Woodcock and French flanker Thierry Dusautoir could get across the line last night.

The All Blacks had to live without the ball for most of the match and they somehow managed to engineer enough tackling and determination to defend that one point.

Anyone foolishly doubting the French would turn up only had to watch their reaction to the haka. Their advance over the halfway line said it all and the All Blacks missed an opportunity of counter-gamesmanship by not pushing forward themselves.

Clearly stung by their criticism, the French produced some real sting with their play. There was a furious edge from their forwards and their skipper Dusautoir was outstanding. His second half try by the posts had a nightmare feel to it.

And as Kiwis celebrate the end of the drought they should pause a moment to remember that France have been in three finals without any joy.

But they were worthy finalists last night, producing a Herculean contest, particularly in the battle up front.

The All Blacks were struggling for the power and perfection they produced in the semifinal win over the Wallabies.

They started well with a dominant first quarter but didn't get the reward apart from Woodcock's cleverly worked try off a lineout move.

And as Piri Weepu's magic boot repeatedly lost its radar the confidence started to sap from the New Zealanders.

Alarm bells were raised when Aaron Cruden was forced off after 33 minutes and you could see the French sense some trepidation creeping into the All Blacks' game.

Those alarms grew louder when Weepu was subbed off after 49 minutes of erratic play. The little magician had lost his powers and it seemed like that guardian angel that has hovered over the French all tournament was working her own magic.

But the new halfback pairing of Andy Ellis and Stephen Donald held their nerve.

To his credit the much-maligned Donald stepped up to land a crucial penalty early in the second half and his general game was more than tidy enough as the plenty of the play was directed his way around the fringes.

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Jerome Kaino and Kieran Read were huge for the All Blacks and skipper Riche McCaw was magnificent.

Though this wasn't the advertisement for running rugby the superbly staged tournament deserved, it was gripping drama the had the packed stadium on the edge of their seats.

It was a great send off for Brad Thorn - it was just his sort of game!

If it was Graham Henry's send-off too, then what a way to go. He's always been a style master, a promoter of running rugby, but he'll gladly take the cup by one point as by 20, by one try as by four.

The 1987 All Blacks heroes wouldn't be worrying either - it's the scoreboard that matters and finally it reflected that the world's No1 ranked team are world champions as well.

All Blacks are Rugby World Cup champions

All Blacks are Rugby World Cup champions
MARC HINTON AND KEVIN NORQUAY Last updated 23:54 23/10/2011

LATEST: After a year of tragedy; lives lost in Christchurch's devastating earthquakes and in the mine at Pike River, the All Blacks have given New Zealanders cause to celebrate.

If followed a nail-biting 80 minute game in which the French challenged the All Blacks at every opportunity, New Zealand's 8-7 victory was hard fought.

"Marvellous," All Blacks coach Graham Henry said shortly after the win.

"The people have been outstanding in support of this team, in support of this Rugby World Cup. I'm so proud to be a New Zealander standing here."

Henry admitted it had been "terrible" up in the coaches' box as they endured a tension-filled second half in which the French threw everything during another one of those famous World Cup upsets they specialise in.

"You just reflect over the last seven weeks and what the people have done throughout the country. It's quite outstanding," added Henry. "Richie and the boys just hanging in there throughout 80 minutes to win this thing, it's just superb."

Henry also had some special praise for fourth-choice No 10 Stephen Donald who played 46 minutes and kept his cool magnificently.

"Didn't he do well - superb.

"This is something we've dreamed of for a while. We can rest in peace now.

"I am [happy]... I've just got so much respect for what the boys have done over eight years. It's been outstanding."

All Black captain Ritchie McCaw said the country should be proud of this group of men. "I'm absolutely shagged...we had to dig as deep as we have ever dug before...[but] we got there in the end."

French captain Thierry Dusautoir said he was very proud of his boys. "It's a pity. We are disappointed. I am really disappointed."

More than 60,000 at Eden Park celebrated as New Zealand regained the Holy Grail of rugby, last claimed 8892 days ago.

It was a night for celebration as all the pain, all the angst, all the national soul searching of the intervening years poured out into a black-clad celebration as the All Blacks swept aside France, as they had in 1987.

It was a night for revenge, for the settling of scores with a side that had bundled New Zealand out of the Cup in 1999, then again in the 2007 quarterfinals, one of the darkest days in the history of the treasured black jersey.

All Blacks Aaron Cruden, Israel Dagg, Owen Franks, Sam Whitelock and Zac Guildford were not born when New Zealand last won the Cup, and reserve Victor Vito was just three months old.

For McCaw, it was the ultimate prize at the end of a tournament in which he dragged his aching body through ruck after ruck, tackle after tackle, to finally lay to rest the misery of the quarterfinal loss in Cardiff four years ago.