New Zealand looking right at home

AFTER THE harrowing drama of Wales’s elimination at the hands of France and a punctilious referee on Saturday, the other slot in next weekend’s final of the 2011 Rugby World Cup was filled yesterday in a far more straightforward manner.

Twenty-four years after becoming the first nation to lift the Webb Ellis Cup, and 16 years after losing a final in Johannesburg with half their squad suffering from food poisoning, New Zealand will have another chance to win the trophy for a second time. As in 1987’s inaugural tournament, they will enjoy home advantage.

At a press conference yesterday Marc Lievremont, France’s head coach, remarked that he supported the All Blacks in every match except those against his own nation. A few hours later he was given fresh evidence to justify his admiration, and perhaps had his worst fears confirmed, as the All Blacks crushed the life out of Australia with a 20-6 victory.

It will now be up to France to prove on Sunday that, despite their defeats to New Zealand and Tonga in the pool stage, they are more worthy of a place in the final than Wales, whose presence would have provided a showdown between two small nations who share a rugby obsession. On recent evidence, a victory for this France team would be the biggest upset in the game’s history. It is hard to imagine them even coming close to the degree of resistance put up by Australia yesterday.

From the moment Quade Cooper sent the kick-off out on the full, they were struggling to get on terms with a team who believe this to be the year they lay a hoodoo to rest.

The All Blacks won yesterday with the only try of the game, scored by the rampaging centre Ma’a Nonu in the sixth minute, plus four penalties by the scrumhalf Piri Weepu – who missed three other penalties and a conversion – and one drop goal by their third-choice outhalf, the 22-year-old Aaron Cruden, who played the whole 80 minutes and performed brilliantly in his second start for the team. A penalty by James O’Connor and Cooper’s drop goal constituted the sum of the Wallabies’ reply.

Australia’s head coach Robbie Deans endorsed their conquerors’ standing as the heavy favourites to avenge defeats by France in the 1999 semi-final and the quarter-final four years ago. “They’re very well versed, they’re hungry, they’ve got a lot of support around here, and they’ll take a lot of stopping,” he said.

Graham Henry, the famously tight-lipped head of New Zealand’s coaching team, was almost lyrical in his assessment of his side’s display. “The job’s not done yet,” he said. “It’s very important for us to understand that and keep our feet on the ground. We’ve got a history with France and it’ll be another big occasion on Sunday.”

He praised the backs, among them Israel Dagg and Cory Jane who were photographed drinking and smoking in a late-night bar 72 hours before the quarter-final against Argentina. They were impeccable. “Our backfield play was pretty special,” Henry said.

His captain, the openside flanker Richie McCaw, is playing this tournament on one foot. The other had a screw inserted to help heal a stress fracture in February, and is painful enough to prevent him from training between matches. But shrewd tactics stopped his opposite number David Pocock from making any sort of impression.

Henry, who has an acid sense of humour and hates giving anything away on or off the pitch, was at his most typical when asked for a response to the pledge by Jo Maso, France’s manager, to allow New Zealand wearing their famous black strip at the final. Maso said that France would switch to their white second strip for the occasion – a decision that is traditionally made on the toss of a coin.

“It’s a good gesture,” Henry said. “We’re the All Blacks, we’re playing at home and we wear black, so it’s an obvious one. But I do thank him.”