The final then, won by a bigger margin than the scoreboard showed I reckon.  The two tries the Waratahs scored were of the Stirling Mortlock variety (from one of the many RWC games that I don't remember), against the run of play and owing sod all to good play from the Waratahs.  More good luck than good management (although the kick try was a goody - the first one).

The Waratahs were a toothless lion in this game, they had nothing on attack, were about as threatening as a raging hedgehog on P.  Which might be quite frightening to some, but not to that Crusaders side.

While bagging the Waratahs, I think it is more they were not allowed to show anything on attack by a Crusaders side that just crushed the rugby out of them.  And the Crusaders didn't even play that well either!  They defended as we know they can, but their accuracy and decision making on attack was not the well oiled machine it usually is.  That though, is finals football - does not matter how many times you have been there, the pressure can still get to you!

Kudos to the Waratahs though at the same time as the brickbats (a left handed compliment), while they were pretty toothless, they hung in there and were in the game right to the end pretty much, hell, they were ahead at the half even, and scored two tries to one.  They are a very good side, just that the Crusaders were better.

The match I thought was of test match intensity, and a good final, one of the better ones, the underdogs giving it a damn good go, before getting rolled over in the inevitable march of the Crusaders to their 7th title.

Top matches from many for the Crusaders.  McCaw a captains knock, leading from the front, with Reid and Tuiali'i half a yard behind him the whole game.  Neither of the latter two made the All Blacks, which must have been a tough call for the Cartel.  More so Masoe not getting the nod ahead of Lauaki then Reid missing out to Thompson.  I just think Thompson is a better player than Reid at the moment, and they both will get some time on the line for the All Blacks in the future - just Thompson got there first.

The locking duo deserve their All Blacks spots, Ali Williams of course now the senior lock in the All Blacks, and Bard Thorn, at 33, getting his recall to the colours.  Thorn would have been one of the more relieved Crusaders at the end of the game too, after a bit of biff getting a try disallowed for Wyatt Crockett.  I expect Crockett will be getting beers from Thorn now for the rest of his natural life - it is not every day that you score a match breaking try in a final, and Wyatt still hasn't!

Ellis was generally tidy and deserving of his All Black place, service to Carter fine.  Carter too, controlled the game well, mixing a few runs in with his kicking and distribution game.  He even managed to slot a drop goal...

The rest of the backline were steady, MacDonald the most dangerous outside man, although Poki showed that he could well develop into a very good winger very soon.  Casey Laulala at centre may have played his way out of a black jersey though, bombing a certain try with a two man overlap wasted.  A draw and pass instead of stepping back in might have gone down better with the Cartel.  but then, one incident after a season of 15 games won't be a final nail in a coffin one would think...!

And Robbie Deans, farewell.  He was spot on with his subs in this game, basivally not bringing any on until the game was win.  It was a situation where disrupting the grove the playing 15 were in would have been more harm then help, despite fresh legs.  The blokes on the field were in the zone, and could have defended their line for another hour I reckon!!  Nice to slide in Reuben for his final game too, although I am sure that he would have liked more than the 3 or 4 minutes that he got!!

A final fitting a final, the best side won, roll on the tests!!