How the Rugby World Cup 2011 final upfolded.
Post-match celebrations:
McCaw holds the cup aloft. His side have etched their names into
immortality. It's ours.
Stephen Donald is absolutely chuffed. Hard to believe. Graham
Henry, Dan Carter, Colin Slade, Mils Muliaina - they all get a gold
medal. GOLD MEDALS FOR ALL!
The All Blacks now receiving their gold medals. Happier expressions
on their faces than France, it has to be said.
It seems cruel, but there has to be a bridesmaid. Well played
France.
The French receive their second place medals. They are gutted.
Absolutely gutted. Spare a thought. What a final they provided
after being written off so overwhelmingly. Valiant effort.
Sir Brian Lochore delivers the Webb Ellis trophy onto the field.
Touching scenes.
Thierry Dousatouir is Man of the Match. Fair enough too. But the
big presentation is about to start.
"Why does love do this to me?" blares on the speakers.
All Ted and the coaching staff can muster is a round of
handshakes in their box. Typical!
FULLTIME. ALL BLACKS 8 - 7 FRANCE.
80 minutes - THE ALL BLACKS WIN THE WORLD CUP. 24 YEARS OF
HEARTBREAK ENDS TONIGHT!
78 min
- All Blacks playing tight, pick'n'go rugby here.
They HAVE TO keep possession. AND THEY WIN A PENALTY. COULD THIS BE
THE PLAY?
76 min - But the All Blacks win a scrum feed. Four
minutes to play. It's a matter of holding on for dear life here.
McCaw is down.
75 min - France have a scrum deep in All Black
territory. This is not good. All Blacks will have to defend again.
The dropped goal in play.
68 min - Good territorial kick into the French 22,
but the French win a penalty after the throw The All Blacks need to
keep play at the other end of the field.
66 min - France back in possession and they're
hammering away at the All Blacks line. The All Blacks will need to
watch out for the dropped goal from here on in. But not yet, Dagg
hoofs play back into the French half.
63 min - France wins a scrum on halfway. The
All Blacks will need to defend another wave of French attack.
61 min - The All Blacks are shovelled over
the touchline and France have a lineout. But it's in their own
half.
58 min - France have an attacking lineout on the
All Black 22. They take it down well and are on attack.
55 min - Nonu loses possession. France are
doing well on defence. Man have they turned up for this game! What
underdogs?
53 min - All Blacks on attack but France defending
very well. Looking for a gap here the All Blacks.
50 min - French have their tails up here.
The All Blacks looking rattled. They need to regain composure and
play their game.
49 min - Weepu kicks the ball out on the full. He
is not having a good game here. The All Blacks need to find some
nerve. Weepu's off. Ellis is on.
46 min -
All Blacks 8 -
7 France. France strike right back right under the
sticks. Break from broken play and Thierry Dousatouir slides in the
try. Trinh-Duc converts and it is a one-point game. Unbelievable.
Hearts-in-mouth stuff.
45 min -
All Blacks 8 - 0
France. NAILS IT! Great strike. Donald is pumped and the
All Blacks stretch their lead to eight.
44 min - The All Blacks win a
penalty inside French territory. Stephen Donald is
striding forward to take the kick.
42 min - He kicks it just wide. The All Blacks
retain their five-point lead.
40 min - Second half kicks off. 4 million people
are biting their nails. France in possession and they have a
penalty from the sideline. They could close it up to two
points.
Boy is this game tense. Weepu's woeful kicking has kept France in
it, but he's had a very strong 40 mins in open play. Cruden's
injury adds another dimension to the nerves. Both starting
first-fives are out of the game.
Halftime - All Blacks 5 - France 0. Weepu slams
the ball into touch and that's the half. 5 points is not a winning
lead by any means.
39 min - Dagg is almost playing first-five here.
He has done a lot of the kicking from first receiver. Time winds
down on the first half.
36 min - Francois Trinh-duc misses a dropped goal
but France attack again. The ball is lost in the ruck and the All
Blacks have a scrum feed.
34 min - Cruden down with a knee injury here.
Could Stephen Donald be on for 47 minutes of the World Cup final?
Not a great tournament for All Black first-fives.
31 min - The All Blacks will be desperate for
a more comfortable lead before halftime. France with an attacking
lineout, but they spill the ball in a ruck.
29 min - All Blacks well and truly dominating
this game now. Another good attacking period ends with France
dotting down in their own try-zone. 22 dropout to come.
26 min - All Blacks 5 - France 0. Weepu misses
another penalty. Did extremely well to win the penalty, but
couldn't convert. He's not striking it at all well tonight. Three
misses from three.
24 min - Kick into space from Israel Dagg.
Yachvili will bear the brunt of the kicking duties now and he
clears.
21 min - Parra down again, and he leaves the
field. Looks like that's his World Cup over.
20 min - Cruden runs into another big tackle.
Looks like they're targeting him on defence tonight.
19 min - The All Blacks win a penalty from
the first scrum of the game. Weepu kicks for touch.
18 min - Parra back on, but doesn't look too
flash. Will be interesting to see how he goes. He is vital to the
French effort.
16 min -
All Blacks 5 - 0 France.
Try to the All Blacks! Attacking lineout 9 metres out and the
French defence parts for Tony Woodcock. Soft try, but the ABs will
take it. Weepu misses the conversion.
13 min - Weepu and McCaw earn a penalty inside
their own half. Attacking lineout for the All Blacks 9 metres out
from the line.
12 min - Another defensive lineout for the All
Blacks. They are yet to put their stamp on the game. Morgan Parra
off the field for the time-being.
10 min - And this time it's the All Blacks who
will defend a lineout inside their own 22. Parra down in back
play.
9 min - Nonu kicks it into touch inside the French
22. France with most of the possession so far, but All Blacks
defending well.
6 min - Weepu has hooked that horribly. Not a
confident start, but will the French make the All Blacks pay?
5 min - Another penalty to New Zealand from
the sideline. Weepu will have the chance to open the scoring.
3 min - First big tackle of the game, Conrad Smith
on Parra. The All Blacks win a penalty inside their own half.
2 min - The All Blacks chant already up at Eden
Park, but they lose an early lineout on their own throw. France in
possession.
0 mins - Weepu kicks things off, but France kick
the ball out on the full. Early mistake from them.
Pandemonium in the media centre at Eden Park meanwhile. The fire
alarm has gone off just before the haka began. Let's hope it's a
hoax and all is well.
9:00 - Piri Weepu leads the All Blacks in the Kapa
o panga haka. The challenge is laid down and the French face up to
it. Eighty minutes remain between the All Blacks and glory.
8:57 - Hayley Westenra sings the New Zealand
anthem, along with tens of thousands of expectant Kiwis at Eden
Park. Stirring stuff.
8:56 - The national anthems are under way at Eden
park. France first. Clumps of French fans dotting the stands are in
full voice.
Welcome to tvnz.co.nz's coverage of the final.
Twenty-four years of heartbreak and expectation have built up for
the All Blacks. Auckland is pumping, and all over New Zealand fans
await kickoff nervously.
Will New Zealand's dreams be realised? Or will France add another
chapter to their giant-felling World Cup history?
