France have beaten New Zealand to finally end their 24-year wait and win the Rugby World Cup, despite a mighty effort from France.
As at Mt Everest in 1953, and in 1987 at Eden Park, New Zealand is back on top of the world, with the All Blacks beating France in the Rugby World Cup final in Auckland tonight.
After a nail-biting 80 minute game in which the French challenged the All Blacks at every opportunity, New Zealand’s 8-7 victory was hard fought.
Moments from now, when battered captain Richie McCaw lifts the Webb Ellis Cup aloft, he will also lift off the weight of 20 miserable years of dashed hopes and expectations.
More than 60,000 at Eden Park celebrated as New Zealand regained the Holy Grail of rugby, last claimed 8892 days ago.
It was a night for celebration as all the pain, all the angst, all the national soul searching of the intervening years poured out into a black-clad celebration as the All Blacks swept aside France, as they had in 1987.
It was a night for revenge, for the settling of scores with a side that had bundled New Zealand out of the Cup in 1999, then again in the 2007 quarterfinals, one of the darkest days in the history of the treasured black jersey.
All Blacks Aaron Cruden, Israel Dagg, Owen Franks, Sam Whitelock and Zac Guildford were not born when New Zealand last won the Cup, and reserve Victor Vito was just three months old.
For McCaw, it was the ultimate prize at the end of a tournament in which he dragged his aching body through ruck after ruck, tackle after tackle, to finally lay to rest the misery of the quarterfinal loss in Cardiff four years ago.
