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Opinionated Rugby Commentary - by Fans for Fans
Spill what you really think about events in the rugby world.
And that's a wrap! (phew...) 2 views
25 October 2011 by deep
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I've never before seen the weight of a nation sit so heavy on the shoulders of a sporting team. Yesterday the country was simply black - what a feeling to be a kiwi, what a feeling to finally capture the victory we've ached for.
Turmeric, you had this to say "I think the French would have to play out of their skins to win this one and the ABs would have to play at a level below what they have done so far this tournament." Well that's pretty much what happened, and for the sake of everyone here in NZ, thank bejeepers there was still 1 point in it. Phew!
While the French must surely be immensely disappointed to have lost after coming so close to a first ever Cup win, there is also an obvious air of relief in their camp that they didn't stand in the way of victory for the All Blacks. If it were just the All Blacks they were playing, then this wouldn't be the case, however in this game, in Eden Park, in Auckland in New Zealand, they were playing a nation. A nation with expectation, passion and hope. A nation where only one outcome existed in the realms of possibility. A nation quite literally out in force, a swarming black blizzard with a 24 year itch in need of serious scratching.
We can cast our mind back to the '95 World Cup final where another titanic struggle took place, and on that occasion South Africa surfaced as winners. While I'm still sore that we were robbed after being so obviously the best team through the tournament, the pain has eased slightly over the years. There is an underlying feeling of good knowing the value that was injected into the country as a result. The timing and power of the Mandela influence is something that I've only heard about, but hear it so regularly and so strongly that I rest easy in the belief that something magical came from it.
For entirely different reasons, I feel this tournament carried a very similar trait. Allowing New Zealand, a country with its economic and social fabric built on the rugby field, to finally bask in the sun is huge. It cuts far deeper than the game. From the moment NZ was awarded hosting rights there could only be one result. After twenty something years of failed expectation, a belief that this was the chance for redemption has embraced society. This win is a crescendo that has gelled the nation, and without which.... well there was no plan B, so who knows....
As a Kiwi I stand proud that we put on one heck of a tournament and that all visitors were given one heck of a ride. Thanks for coming and enjoying our hospitality. Winning is only fun when there is good opposition to lock horns with.
And hats off to the tricolours. You manned up well before the game, opting to cede the right to challenge for who gets to wear their home strip. You manned up in the game, bringing a world class challenge to the field from haka to the final whistle, making this a spectacle that won't be forgotten. You manned up in defeat, holding your head high while maintaining a positive attitude that ensured this was a rich occasion, and in doing so earning great respect. May your time also come, as now you are a team well deserving and overdue for glory.
For myself, I wasn't able to make it into the stadium on this occasion, but did enjoy one of the downtown fan zones - all stretched beyond capacity. The two wharf areas were already full in the mid afternoon, under a backdrop of 3 massive ocean liners. During an afternoon stroll around Auckland's downtown all I could see was a sea of black. The streets were full, all the bars were spilling onto the streets, and everywhere - black. (Adidas profit levels must be soaring.)
Post match was no different. Hours after the game the streets were still jammed full with black pride. This is easily the biggest occasion I've ever had the pleasure of witnessing, and being a part of.
And what about Stephen Donald, our 4th choice first five and hero of the game. Here's an All Blacks dropout, a guy who would never be seen in black again, a basic kiwi bloke who a week earlier was up a river netting for whitebait. Here's a man who played a pivotal role in a World Cup final, and delivered with bells on! From villain to immortalised. Go buy your lottery ticket mate, what a game, well done, wow and phew!
For the All Blacks, this is a massive monkey off their back, as it is for the country. Phew!
Phew, phew, phew, bloody pheweeee! ....oh, and yippeeeee, wahooooo, go the mighty AB's!
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