All Blacks seal title

New Zealand ended 24 years of misery when they edged France 8-7 to win the Rugby World Cup for a second time yesterday.

The All Blacks, who also won the inaugural 1987 tournament, beating the French on home soil in that final too, also at Eden Park, were made to work hard by a team that poured scorn on the view of many pundits that they were the worst side to have ever made a World Cup final.

Veteran prop Tony Woodcock scored the All Blacks’ sole try, with replacement fly-half Stephen Donald hitting a second-half penalty as first-choice kicker Piri Weepu let eight points go begging.

France, guilty of playing too much in their own half, hit back with a try from inspirational captain Thierry Dusautoir converted by Francois Trinh-Duc, but it was not enough against a New Zealand side that offered up a tough-as-teak defence.

Victory was especially sweet for All Blacks captain Richie McCaw and coach Graham Henry, who both held their respective roles when New Zealand suffered a crushing quarter-final loss to France in Cardiff four years ago.

“It’s hard to describe this feeling,” said McCaw.

“I’m absolutely worn out. The courage, what the guys put in out there, we dug deeper than we ever have before, it’s hard to let it really sink in.”

An emotional Henry added: “Marvellous. The people been outstanding in support of the team and the Rugby World Cup.

“This is something we’ve dreamed of for a while, we can rest in peace.”

An enthralling contest saw both sides lose their playmakers to injury, France’s Morgan Parra suffering a nasty blow to the face and the All Blacks’ Aaron Cruden turning his knee.

Weepu failed with his opening penalty kick after six frantic minutes with both sides keeping ball in hand, although a lot of side-to-side play did not amount to anything remotely threatening as defences held firm.

The opening try came from the most unlikeliest of sources, Woodcock crossing in the 15th minute after a well-worked lineout move that saw Jerome Kaino take the ball at the back and pop it to the prop as he came through a gap in the middle of the line.

Weepu missed the conversion and then a second penalty.

Trinh-Duc, who impressed in the pivotal role of fly-half after coming on for Parra, missed a 36th minute drop-goal. But the Montpellier man made a scintillating break shortly after, Weepu producing a fantastic tap tackle to bring him down in the 22m area.

The French started the second-half exactly as they had hoped by pressuring the All Blacks into an error.

But Dimitri Yachvili missed the tricky penalty.

For New Zealand, Donald took over the kicking duties from Weepu and hit a 35-metre penalty in the 46th minute.

But the French came firing back, going through several phases before Dusautoir barrelled through Weepu’s poor tackle for try. Yachvili converted to make it 8-7.

It then looked like panic stations in the hosts’ camp as Trinh-Duc saw a 48-metre penalty effort go wide. But the All Blacks held firm to deny a gutsy France.