Well done to the All Blacks!!

[MOXron]

Now i'm not sure how many people here at the Escapist have been following the Rugby World Cup, but here in lil' ol' New Zealand, for the last 7 weeks, like it or not; it has dominated our lives...
And now, finally as everybody here has been hoping for, the All Blacks have taken out France to win the Webber Ellis cup for the first time since the 1987 world cup!

Now I give credit to both teams for playing a great game (even if not up to previous standards) and creating an atmosphere of absolutely un-rivalled tension within Eden park. But in my opinion, France should have probably won that final. The final score was 7-8 to the AB's, and as the final stats of the game were shown, it was clear that France had dominated the field, with majority possession, territory, turnovers and scrum wins; the only facet of the game the All Blacks had beaten France in was with tackles- having made something like 20 extra tackles ontop of that of the French.

So, I ask you, Escapist, if you had been following the match, who do you think should have won the Rugby World Cup final?

OT: First post on the forums.

 

[MrTwo]

Didn't watch the whole game, as I like rugby league and football better, but I saw like the last 10 minutes and it was very nervewracking. I would've liked it if France won, tbh, but thats probably because I'm prejudiced and I thought France was the underdog, so I was going for them. But NZ still deserved the win, and congrats to you.
I'm from Australia, so lets hope the Wallabies win the next one!

 

[bloopblerp]

Richie Mccaw is filth. I never thought id ever say this, but i wish France won

 

[Tips_of_Fingers]

Welcome to The Escapist!

OT: I'm glad New Zealand won, if just for the fact that France knocked England out (I know, England didn't deserve anything for how they played the whole tournament).

You're probably right though; France were exceptional in the final. They seem to always start off terribly in every tournament and then improve with time. France defended incredibly well throughout but fair play to New Zealand for holding on. I'm glad they've ended their 24 years of world cup misses.

 

[Whyso]

I'm glad that nz won and i'm australian
just proves how much i hate france

 

[Threkki]

I think France certainly had the measure of the All Blacks in that game, I didn't think France deserved to make from the way they played in the rest of the tournament but I think they really pulled it out in the final.

If either team had managed any decent goal kicking they would have won it for sure but in the end I am just glad the All Blacks won. GO NEW ZEALAND!

 

[Kahohess]

Being french, no surprise when i say i wish France won; but in the end, even if i'm a little sad the final victory was not ours i got the feeling we win the hearts..... and we kicked England, so that's all good for me.

 

[Hugga_Bear]

I was upset that France got to the final, they shouldn't have even beaten England (more England playing poorly than France playing well. Really, really poorly) and the semis? That just fucked me right off, Wales were the better team. I know it's if only if only but the sending off was absolutely insane, their captain, a fantastic player. Gone for the whole match over something relatively minor and made without consultation, fucking wrong.

I only saw the second half but it was all France, the All Blacks had a few moments and here and there looked like the wondrous threat they are but generally speaking it was France who pulled it out.

That being said, the All Blacks did do well, if they dominated in the first half then play to them but yeah, what I saw I kinda wanted the French to win...and I hate the French team...

 

[Guffe]

Welcoem to the escapist!!!
I didn't follow the final, actually I've never seen a Rugby match, it isn't that popular here in Finland.

 

[Hennofletch]

Lets be honest here England gave France the quarter, and the ref gave them the semi. So they didn't really earn a place in the final. Having said that they played well and I felt some of the decisions went against them unfairly.

Did France deserve to win? based on the pressure in the second half I'd say yes. or at least the all blacks didn't win it convincingly.

Welcome to The Forums!

 

[GoddyofAus]

They dodged yet another choke by 1 measely point.

 

[Nouw]

Welcome to the Escapist! I watched the entire game from the comfort of my couch, tapping away updates on facebook during breaks. As a Korean New Zealander, I felt that France put up a good fight and were pretty damn good. But in the end, the All Blacks made it.

 

[Metzeten]

Speaking as an englishman, thank god the all blacks won. And quite deserved, prejudice aside.

Though I did like the cheese eating surrender monkeys little stunt during the haka.

 

[The_Blue_Rider]

Richie Mccaw is filth. I never thought id ever say this, but i wish France won

Wow, overreaction much? I dont follow rugby but he seems like a decent guy and a solid player.

Congrats to the All Blacks anyway, Its about time the country best known for Rugby, won a Rugby world Cup. Yes I know we won the first one but that was a while ago

 

[Jimz0r]

Richie Mccaw is filth. I never thought id ever say this, but i wish France won

Wow, overreaction much? I dont follow rugby but he seems like a decent guy and a solid player.

That's right, you don't follow rugby, because if you did, and aren't from NZ you would also believe Richie Mccaw has by far the filthiest player in the history of rugby. He could kill the queen of england and get away with it aslong as there was a referee and two touch judges involved.

Against Australia in the semi-final he commited 3 seperate offences in 1 tackle and still didn't get penalised.

France deserved to win after the effort they put in, in the second half. NZ Played their usual clinical territory game and strangled the win out of it, but france put so much more heart into their game. Their forwards were inspirational.

 

[darkonnis]

France answered every sceptic out there in that last match and proved that they should whether or not they deserved to be there, we got just a good a game as if it had been any of the other teams. They showed fantastic respect for allowing the all blacks to play in black, hats off to them, I'm glad it was them and not Wales who made it through.
Well done to the all blacks, and fantastically led by Ritchie McCaw to a close, yet amazing finish.

 

[Jimz0r]

blegh stupid double post.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

It's past midnight here and I'm still hearing chanting and the odd haka in the streets.

Everyone going to be in a good mood for a while.

 

[DangerRanger5]

New Zealand won by a single point, and the French played their hearts out. But as the AB's have learnt on multiple, heart-wracking occasions before, a win is a win. All the stats don't matter, except the one at the top; the score.

Well done to both teams, and thank God we won. I can't even imagine the reaction in New Zealand had we lost.