BSR correspondent, The Cuz, is in New Zealand for the 2011 RWC, this is what he has to say:

New Zealand have held on in what can only be described as a cliffhanger to win the Rugby World Cup 2011.  The AB’s were certainly not at their best on the day, but showed enough grit and determination to hang on and win against a French team that threw everything at them and who fought desperately for their first RWC win.

The last quarter of the match provided the most tense rugby that I have ever witnessed, and you could not help but feel that an indiscretion would ultimately cost the AB’s dearly.  In the end, the AB’s defended like Trojans, they held their composure and refused to give away the penalty that the French were so desperate to force.

As an ex-South African, I will always support the Boks, but I have been an All Blacks fan since I moved to New Zealand 7 years ago, and I have never witnessed such discipline and passion from this team.  They simply refused to let the French take easy points.  In the end, all were shattered.  The players, the coaches and the fans alike.  Everyone was exhausted and drained from a game that simply would not go according to the script.

Today, however was a new day.  It was a day for celebration, and the AB fans certainly celebrated in style.

I was in Auckland today, and was part of a crowd of 250,000 AB fans who hosted a celebration parade through the city center for the All Blacks.  To say that it was a moving experience would be an utter understatement.  Fans and players alike shared in the glory of Rubgy World Cup, and for a nation who are actually quite reserved, the celebrations were out of this world.

When asked, last night, why the AB’s won RWC 2011, Jake White responded by saying that the won because they didn’t fire their coach after 2007.

Initially I was taken aback by his comments, but as he explained himself I started to agree with him.  Graham Henry and Richie McCaw returned from RWC 2007 under enormous pressure.  Robbie Deans wanted Graham’s job, but in the end, Graham and Richie were able to convince the New Zealand Rugby Football Union that the experience of loosing in France in 2007 would strengthen the team and if Graham and his coaching team was to go, then a great deal of that valuable experience would go with them.

SARFU could learn from that.

To Ted (Graham Henry) and the boys …. WELL DONE …. and Thank you.
The Cuz