Rugby World Cup final: Joyous All Blacks say past failures spurred them to World Cup glory

NEW Zealand head coach Graham Henry lifted the Rugby World Cup and cited two crucial factors behind the All Blacks’ first global success in 24 years: the painful disappointment suffered in five previous failed attempts at winning the trophy, and the decision by the New Zealand Rugby Union to stick with the coaches.

With no magical Dan Carter in their ranks the All Blacks eventually had to rely on a fifth-choice stand-off to seal a nervy 8-7 victory over France, but the All Blacks achieved what many had come to believe was their destiny by claiming the William Webb Ellis trophy for a second time in Auckland.

As Henry and captain Richie McCaw begin a victory tour in the capital city today, continuing to earthquake-ravaged Christchurch tomorrow and then Wellington, the sense of excitement will be matched by one of great relief that a wait of 24 years to repeat the inaugural World Cup win is over.

New Zealand have been the best side in the 2011 tournament, just as they have been the best side in the world for the past year and more, but McCaw admitted that when he lined up to perform the traditional haka, and saw the French form the shape of an arrowhead and then walk towards them, he knew the 2011 final was not going to be the walkover that most commentators had forecast.

“We talked about them bringing something different, and they did,” he said, “but the game doesn’t start until the whistle blows. If anything, it showed us what we were in for, and that was exactly what we got. They were right up for the game, as we expected, and they certainly made it tough.”

On the nerve-shattering denouement, as France attacked the All Blacks’ one-point lead ferociously, he added: “The big thing was not panicking. We had talked about being in situations like that for a few years, and what we would do in those situations.

“You have got to keep the belief and trust. We had to dig pretty deep, but the last thing we wanted to do was panic. We managed to hang in there. We knew we were going to be in for a hell of a game and you couldn’t get much tougher than it was today, but the guys stuck to their guns, and we got there.

“It wasn’t very pretty, but it came down to how much desire and how much courage the boys had. We probably didn’t play our best, but we played good enough. I take my hat off to every single player who took to the field.”

In that, it is clear that McCaw and the management had learned from their past failings. They spoke last week of a recognition that consistency of performance might make them the best in the world, but was not the key to World Cup glory. That came from matching what opponents bring to one-off occasions, by way of desire, physicality and desperation, all of which was clear in the last few minutes as New Zealand dug deep to thwart a French comeback.

Henry and his backs coach Wayne Smith will now stand down, with Steve Hansen, the forwards and former Wales coach, installed as favourite to take over. But Henry might never have been here. He had planned to walk away four years ago, after defeat to France in the 2007 World Cup quarter-finals brought widespread derision at home, but was persuaded by players to put himself up for selection again.

The NZRU opted for Henry and his assistants over the public favourite Robbie Deans, who then took over Australia, and Henry last night thanked the NZRU for that call.

“This thing was about winning, and the guys have won the World Cup. That is outstanding,” he said. “We have been through a lot together. A lot of the guys played in the last World Cup and fell at the quarter-final, and to win this … there are no words for it, quite frankly.

“The French played particularly well for long periods of that game and controlled the ball. To play in those situations and hang in there and come through with a win is something we wouldn’t have done perhaps two or three years ago.

“I wasn’t going to re-stand after 2007. But from the reaction of the players, they wanted the current coaching panel to continue. That is why I re-stood and I was lucky enough to be reappointed.

“I think far too much time in sport people are replaced because they don’t get the right result, and quite often they’re very good at what they do … they just need another chance and then you get good results.

“We are probably too quick to shoot the coach. What the New Zealand Rugby Union did in 2007 was difficult, but maybe it was the right thing to do. Maybe we’ve learned from that.

“I certainly learned more from the 2001 Lions tour [he was the beaten Lions head coach] than anything I’d been involved in.”

The question now for New Zealand will be whether they can achieve the feat away from home, with England the host in 2015, but for now this side’s place in their nation’s and World Cup history is assured, the “choker” tag firmly discarded.