Best of RWC #15 - 2011 Classics
2011 – Classics
Some good footy in 2011…
South Africa 17 v Wales 16 – Pool D
It was off with a bang in the opening weekend.
I still have fond memories of the opening weekend in 1987, but the opening weekend of 2011 was close to its equal, especially this match where South Africa were battling with Wales to stay ahead of each other and the Pacific duo of Samoa and Fiji.
In some ways, in my own twisted logic, I equate this match to the France – Scotland classic from 24 years earlier.
An absolute classic.
Some very very good tries.
The Bokke were on the board early with a well taken try on the right wing to Frans Steyn after three minutes.
The game remained close throughout – so much so that Wales’s James Hook appealed for a TMO decision on a missed penalty.
When Welsh No.8 Toby Faletau ( … must resist poaching comment …) crashed over fourteen minutes into the second half the Taffs took a 16-10 lead.
The South Africans were forced into action and bashed away with Francois Hougaard running off du Preez’s shoulder, taking a short ball to score what became the winner (well – given the conversion had to go over) fifteen minutes from time.
This put South Africa in the box seat to win Pool D and left the Welsh with the not insignificant task of beating both Samoa and Fiji (oh, and Namibia…)
Fiji 49 v Namibia 25
Probably a stock standard RWC pool game between two teams not expected to advance, but I really enjoyed this game played in bright sunshine at Rotorua’s International Stadium.
Great spectacle.
Wales 81 v Namibia 7
I include this only for the try by big Namibian lock Heinz Koll. Remarkable solo effort.
The commentators waxed lyrical about Gethin Jenkins’s try, which was also a pretty reasonable effort, but ignored Koll’s effort, which I though was horribly unfair. So I am giving him the accolades he deserves now.
Ireland 22 v USA 10 – Pool C
On the anniversary of Nine-Eleven (even though it was Eleven-Nine, I hate how Seppos do dates) the Americans put up a spirited show at New Plymouth.
Cheered on as underdogs the Yanks stayed with their fancied Home Nation opponent and scored a great try at the end.
New Zealand 37 v France 17 – Pool A
Classic DC.
Carter was all over this game – he ran the game, set up tries and dominated.
This was the match that settled the nerves for us worrisome Kiwis. It was our first real test. A genuine contender challenging us. And it was France. Yes the team we remember, though we try to forget, from ’99 and ’07. They do strange things to us in World Cups do France. And we, the supporters, were jittery. And surely a loss would put us on the “wrong” side of the draw (although Ireland had put the cat amongst those pigeons a week earlier).
Anyway, the way the Froggies started did nothing to calm our nerves. Five minutes of pounding our line with attack after attack. Surely this boded ill for the result.
And then: click.
The All Blacks won some ball and it was all over bar the shouting. They marched the length of the field with Adam Thomson waltzing over in the left hand corner.
Suddenly the All Blacks upped the ante and piled on the pressure.
Then the points came. Corey Jane took a short ball off Piri Weepu 35m out, brushed off a defender with his classic fend and out sprinted the defence to the right hand corner.
Izzy Dagg added five points before the break, and another immediately after the restart. Whilst Memoz and Tranh-Duc added some respectability to the score, Sonny Bill Williams iced the result.
(unfortunately the best highlights on youtube has an strange musical choice)
A comprehensive 30 point win against a genuine contender.
Us Kiwis are a pessimistic bunch though, and doubts remained about just how committed the Froggies were to beating New Zealand in Pool play when they really didn’t need to. They’re a strange mob are France. Were they holding something back for when it really counted?
Australia 11 v South Africa 9 – QF3
Bryce Lawrence became 2011’s Wayne Barnes.
South Africa went feral on Kiwi referee Lawrence following the game.
I’ve never re-watched the game but it’s been widely suggested, particularly in the Republic, that perhaps David Pocock may have won a few turnovers with a technique that did not quite meet the full requirements of the lawbook.
There was also a bit of whinge about a forward pass that was called (how ironic!) (and it was called correctly) as well.
Lawrence – not my favourite referee – was forced out of the game by the reaction from the aggrieved Bokke fans.
Perhaps the fans were directing their anger in the wrong direction because serious questions need to be asked of any team that could not fashion a win with overwhelming possession and territory … (it’s my hypocrisy and I’m keeping it).
The win set up a much anticipated semi-final between Australia and New Zealand, Dingo Deans versus Ted, neighbour versus host.
The tension across the country mounted.
(highlights SA/Aus & NZ/Arg)
New Zealand 33 v Argentina 10 – QF4
New Zealand however had to get pas their own quarter final opponent. In this case Argentina.
Included as a classic mainly for the heart palpitation when Jerome Kaino threw a no look pass to Kieran Read for the result confirming try (at 67 minutes).
Looked for all the world to like the intercept was on, which would have made the score 18-17, instead of the comfortable 23-10. Sure we scored another 10 points, but that was the defining moment.
I hate knock-out rugby.
Wales 8 v France 9 - SF1
Sam Warburton.
D’oh.
Wales probably weren’t expected to reach this far into the tournament having finished fourth in the Six Nations. However some big talk from Coach (former All Black) Warren Gatland had them believing.
And given the results of France’s previous two games it was not beyond the realms of probability that the Principality could have found a path into the Final. If they’d kept a full compliment on the field.
Poor Sam, who had done a marvelous job as captain and star player, copped the requisite sanction stemming from a shift in officiating philosophy following a string of incidents of players landing on their heads, some potentially life threatening over the previous number of years, for his 18th minute tackle on Vincent Clerc.
Obviously playing with a man down for so long is a difficult assignment, but Wales did remain in the game. Halfback Mike Phillips’s 58th minute touch down reducing the gap to a single point.
I seem to recall thinking he could have tried to move closer to the posts to make the conversion easier, but checking the replay that is unfair as the French defenders did close off that option.
The conversion missed, the score remained unchanged, and Wales were oh so close to making the big dance but consigned to the third-fourth play-off match, whilst France advanced to their third World Cup Final.
New Zealand 20 v Australia 6 - SF2
My favourite moment of this game? The scrum at the 76th minute mark when the All Blacks buried the ghosts of 1991 and 2003 by burying the Wallaby forwards in the Eden Park dirt.
The reactions, jubilation even, of Big Bad Brad Thorn and the best player in the world in 2011, Jerome Kaino, were priceless. They knew they’d done the job and survived another week for a crack at the Big Show.
The build up to this match was excruciatingly tense. The history of the All Black coaching reappointment and the subsequent recruitment of the unsuccessful candidate by those on the left hand side of the Tasman all boiled down to an eighty minute period on a Sunday night at Eden Park. I won’t say this defined the success and failure of the reappointment. Success could only be measured a week hence should the All Blacks advance. Failure however was a definite option should the unthinkable happen. Again.
With tension at kick off at fever pitch Quade Cooper let all the air out of the Wallabies balloon as he kicked directly to touch, to the expected jeering of the Eden Park fans.
Cooper copped a huge degree of derision from the NZ crowds in 2011, and for years following, not all of it deserved, but definitely some of it was. How he got to that point in the NZ popularity polls bears a bit of examination.
Cooper was (and is) and extremely talented player. That became obvious early in his career. So much so to listen to the (Aussie) Fox Sport television commentators they would have you believing that Quade was the greatest fly-half ever.
This rather rubbed kiwis up the wrong way as the actual greatest fly-half ever was busily tearing it up for some moderately successful Super Rugby team down south somewhere, and we had least one other promising 10 developing (whilst recovering from cancer) and producing performances more than comparable to Quade’s, which were dismissed by those with yellow and green eye patches.
Cooper’s non-repentance for an extremely clumsy, and rather ineffectual, act of thuggery on the All Black captain the year before, and the Aussie media excuse making for same, certainly did not help his popularity in the land of his birth.
Unfortunately, in trying to own the crowd reaction he served to stir up more derision and he rather misjudged his ability to handle it.
So it was intensely gratifying when Cooper, appointed Public Enemy Number Two in a NZ newspaper poll earlier in the tournament, fluffed his lines on the kick off. (In case anyone doesn’t remember Public Enemy Number One was pre-knighthood Mr Graham Henry)
(first half highlights)
Watching some highlights recently (love YouTube) a couple of things stood out: firstly just how well the All Blacks played, and secondly just how did Australia manage to keep it so close?
The ABs had come to play. The ball was whizzing all over Eden Park.
Almost as good as the match defining late scrum was the Kaino manhandling of Digby Ioane, throwing him away from the tryline.
You! Shall! Not! Pass!
The Blacks just couldn’t move the scoreboard on as much as their endeavor deserved, despite a brilliantly taken try by Ma’a Nonu set-up by find of the tournament Israel Dagg.
On the subject of the Australian media talking up their stars they were all over the poached Zimbabwean (now independent Senator) David Pocock. Apparently he had taken over from Richie McCaw as the greatest ever openside flanker to have played the game. Let’s face it, he was quite good at turn-overs.
However, McCaw had a few lessons to teach the youngster, who may not have had the leeway he enjoyed at Wellington a week earlier (refer the QF versus SA above), the upside down double overhead pike steal on Adam Ashley-Cooper being the highlight of that battle.
With the score slow to advance it was gratifying to AB fans that Aaron Cruden kicked a drop goal. It was so reassuring that we had such a talented back up first five-eighth that would take us through right to the end of the tournament...
(second half highlights)
The All Blacks slowly eased away in the second half courtesy of three second half penalties, the last one to seal the victory coming from that scrum that the All Black enforcers so enjoyed.
As chants of “Four More Years” rang around the ground the All Blacks themselves advanced to what would be the most nerve wracking denouement of any tournament in any sport I can recall.
As we move forward a week I’ll drop in a quick mention of the bronze medal match, Australia pipping Wales by three 21-18.
But the rugby world, and in particular the two poxy islands hosting the tournament, waited with bated breath, nerves a-jangling. They had made it back to their third final, 16 long years after their dramatic loss at Ellis Park, and 24 years just waiting for a chance to try and win Webb Ellis.
The Final. Coming up next time.
my favourite World Cup, only because i took a month off and went to a heap of games. Then went back for the Final
Other than the rugby, the enduring memory is opening night, where we headed to the Auckland Waterfront for pre-game beers, and it was the simple matter of trying to get a train that made us think something was a bit different. Arriving at the waterfront to an absolute sea of people, no room to move, pubs packed. Insane. We ended up just going to Eden Park and having beers there.
Great tournament. Maybe only shaded by 2003?
I was living in Sydney at the time but was able to get permission to work from NZ for the month of the pool stages. Went to loads of games at Eden Park, Albany and Okara Park. It was a great atmosphere at every match I went to
I didn't even try to get tickets for the knockouts stages. I was at Cardiff in 2007 and thought fuck turning up to a knockout game again.. I just did the fun party section at the beginning
@mariner4life said in Best of RWC 2011:
my favourite World Cup, only because i took a month off and went to a heap of games. Then went back for the Final
Same, although I was just working in between games and travelling. Oddly enough I couldn't get tickets for a match in Hawkes Bay but went to all the ABs and a fair few other games around the country.
I was trying to get into the city on opening night and the packed trains and buses just kept shooting by, but there was barely any traffic so it was easy just to taxi there and then back up for the game.
Some of the pool games I went to in Rotorua and New Plymouth were just as much fun as the playoff games at Eden Park. Sitting on the embankment in the sun at Rotorua was much more enjoyable than a night game there.
I do remember driving down Sandringham Rd on the afternoon of the opening game and seeing Tongan flags everywhere.
Epic tournament.
Went to 13 games; meant to be 14, but NZZPJr arrived on the night of the 3/4 playoff. Party atmosphere, the day the tourney kicked off was glorious, downtown was going off, the fanzone was full and closed 4-5 hours before kickoff, was like the last day of the school year.
Luckily we drove to Eden Park ... trains didn't work 
The fan mile was an unexpected success. Boozing and bantering up to the ground; bumped into Stephen Moore's parents as we walked to the SF against Australia! They were happier before the game than after it.
EP was amazing. The temp stands at each end created an incredible bowl-like atmosphere. Still an incredible tournament, and the party through the group stages was non-stop.
Biggest gripe for me was the schedulign didn't line up for a roadie. Would have been great to spend 4-5 days doing consecutive games in Wellington, New Plym, across to Hawke's Bay, Hamilton and then Auckland. Ah well.
Loved it as a tournament, and loved the Richie finally got Bill.
2011 - Two memories.
-
Biting our leather sofa. I was thinking "Not again, and not against France..." We replaced the sofa last year, and yes, the bite marks were still visible...
-
Beaver coming on with a shirt 3 sizes too small and, when the ABs got a penalty, walking up and saying "Just give me the fucking ball". He was one of the most composed players on the field that day and utterly nerveless. Bless him.
I don't know if it showed on TV, but some time into the second half the cops came out and ringed the field. I thought "oh crap they think we're going to lose so they're preparing to repel a crowd invasion". Also how quiet was the crowd about half way through the second half? Around us it went eerily quiet as people thought here we go again
Was on a weekend away in N Wales with the missus on the day of the SF against France
We woke at 5:30, left at 6
Got to our house in Cardiff at 9
Was in the stadium watching it on the big screen at 9:20
Had flights to NZ on hold
Then Roland fucked it for us
Should still have beaten the Frogs despite the RC
Got back in the car and we were back in N Wales for afternoon tea
So close
@Bovidae said in Best of RWC 2011:
I do remember driving down Sandringham Rd on the afternoon of the opening game and seeing Tongan flags everywhere.
Yep. I recall walking to the stadium for the opening ceremony and my wife remarking on how many there were. Atmosphere was outstanding.
Went out the next day to see France and Japan play at North Harbour. Down to Waikato to see ABs vs Japan. Took father across to see the game against France and then wife again for the last pool game in Wellington.
The final I couldn't get tickets for, but was a nervous wreck for the second half. The joy and relief was immense.
I had organised a great pub off Grey's Inn for the morning, we had about 30 kiwis in there. South African pub manager, and he had Adnams NZ Hop Ales, plus czech lagers, and a solid breakfast.
Come the second half kickoff, a couple of guys retired to the bathroom with irritable bowel syndrome, very much provoked by stress.
With 20 minutes to go, a French family wandered in to watch, as the tension grew they fled - we were not given to violence, but there was real pressure circulating.
The win, the shock, the relief, maybe cortisol and blood glucose levels. I collapsed - we had won, we were on top of the world, everyone else could go and get fucked, 2007 erased!
@Victor-Meldrew said in Best of RWC 2011:
Mrs Meldrew has never known me to be so tense, stressed and out there. As a psychologist she was starting to worry about me...
Went thru almost a full bottle of single malt IIRC.
The day after the win was like the scene from Fever pitch. The win took me to a place of contentment that lasted for years, 24 years of heartbreak lifted when GOAT picked up that little golden trophy
@Tim said in Best of RWC 2011:
I had organised a great pub off Grey's Inn for the morning, we had about 30 kiwis in there. South African pub manager, and he had Adnams NZ Hop Ales, plus czech lagers, and a solid breakfast.
Come the second half kickoff, a couple of guys retired to the bathroom with irritable bowel syndrome, very much provoked by stress.
With 20 minutes to go, a French family wandered in to watch, as the tension grew they fled - we were not given to violence, but there was real pressure circulating.
The win, the shock, the relief, maybe cortisol and blood glucose levels. I collapsed - we had won, we were on top of the world, everyone else could go and get fucked, 2007 erased!
We were in Dublin at the time. Pub was full of kiwis…and then a drunk obnoxious Pom who came in with amount 10 minutes to go and wouldn’t shut up “you’re going to choke”. Which is what we were all secretly afraid of. Such relief at the final whistle.
(Then the Irish being Irish started the whole France woz robbed by Joubert routine.)
@canefan said in Best of RWC 2011:
@Victor-Meldrew said in Best of RWC 2011:
Mrs Meldrew has never known me to be so tense, stressed and out there. As a psychologist she was starting to worry about me...
Went thru almost a full bottle of single malt IIRC.
The day after the win was like the scene from Fever pitch. The win took me to a place of contentment that lasted for years, 24 years of heartbreak lifted when GOAT picked up that little golden trophy
I had a London based challenger bank as a client at the time. Nice people. The COO - an Irish lady - made a point of coming over and congratulating me. Classy touch
Georgia were based in the 'rapa for a week, and the support they got was immense. All the kids had free Wairarapa loves Georgia t shirts, there was a huge parade when the team arrived. They were gobsmacked, the Georgians couldn't believe it.
I went to all the Wellington pool games, Tonga beating France was amazing, the atmosphere at SA Fiji was great- then rushing to the pub then catch the Irish beating Oz. I learnt land of my fathers to sing when Wales played SA, and was right behind the posts for the penalty that never was, it fucking sent over, disgusting call.
But the final was awful, just awful
@Victor-Meldrew said in Best of RWC 2011:
@canefan said in Best of RWC 2011:
@Victor-Meldrew said in Best of RWC 2011:
Mrs Meldrew has never known me to be so tense, stressed and out there. As a psychologist she was starting to worry about me...
Went thru almost a full bottle of single malt IIRC.
The day after the win was like the scene from Fever pitch. The win took me to a place of contentment that lasted for years, 24 years of heartbreak lifted when GOAT picked up that little golden trophy
I had a London based challenger bank as a client at the time. Nice people. The COO - an Irish lady - made a point of coming over and congratulating me. Classy touch
I shook the hand of an old French guy after the final. He had a tear in his eye but it was a classy thing for him to do.
@Machpants said in Best of RWC 2011:
Georgia were based in the 'rapa for a week, and the support they got was immense. All the kids had free Wairarapa loves Georgia t shirts, there was a huge parade when the team arrived. They were gobsmacked, the Georgians couldn't believe it.
To think there was a lot of shit in the mainstream UK media about how RWC2011 would be shit as NZ rugby fans were so biased, insular and arrogant that stadiums would be empty if the ABs weren't playing.
Watching from afar, one of the great memories was the groups of spectators wearing different coloured buckets supporting the smaller teams
2011 was absolutely manic for me. Fluctuated between being confident about finally getting the monkey off our back to going for long runs to alleviate the stress of simply contemplating another 4 years of hurt.
There was however one weird, totally random sign that told me that this might finally be it. A couple of weeks before the final, the wife and I stayed at this nice spa hotel in Eastern Norway. I turned on the TV that evening and, remember this is bloody Norway, the Footrot Flats movie was on. Absurdly random. I felt that had to be a sign. Love that film btw.
My "enduring" memory is my wife and then 6 year old eldest son watching in shocked silence while I carried on like a demented idiot during the Argentina game.
Anyway, the wife was planning a weekend away with some friends and being such a lovely soul she said should could wait until after the final so that she could look after the kids while I lost my mind watching rugby. I told her not to and to keep to her plans. Murphy's law dictates that if she stayed home then we probably would lose to Aus and not even make the final. Yeah I was looking at every superstitious farking Voodoo doll advantage I could get.
So of course we made it and I had to watch the final while babysitting my youngest (then 2). Thankfully he was mostly behaved but I scared the poor bugger when yelling at the TV. Those last minutes were agony. At the final whistle I just slumped down to my knees in relief. To celebrate I took the lad to MacDonalds where I guarantee not a single person within a 50km radius even knew the game had been on. I remember picking up a newspaper that had nothing in it but shit about soccer and Ronaldo. Massive party for me!
@Catogrande said in Best of RWC 2011:
The only thing I take with any Nationalistic pride from that tournament was Manu Tuilagi getting the Auckland Ferry high diving gold.
Dwarf throwing champs?
Me and the wife took in all the AB's pool games as our big hurrah before we settled down and had kids. I didn't have the confidence to book any tickets for the knock out games though (if only for 20/20 hindsight).
Remember it being an incredible event, everyone was in such good spirts, so friendly, you'd just sit and chat with random people prior to kick off and buy each other drinks. The foreign fans offered so much color and joy - it was an atmosphere I'd never see and maybe never will see in NZ again.
Missus was ever so social so we'd befriend people at games then catch up with them at the other pool games across the country for drinks before the game, just total strangers ya know, just bought together by rugby and having a good time.
The most pleasing aspect of the pool games was how easy it was to get booze at the venues, mind you that may have been abetted by my wife being more than happy to go off to the concierge and make new friends with people while I sat in the stands with a constant supply of beer (and new friends to talk to) being delivered.
The final however was the most stressful event ever, was hoping that Donald would come on as Weepu couldn't hit a barn door with his kicking.
When we won I ran around outside the house spraying a bottle of champagne in the air, truly the best of times.
Was based in London for this WC... but decided I'd hop across to France to watch the Final. Caught the train over to... can't remember - not Paris, a relatively small town... but with a train station for the Eurostar?
Went over, started to panic when I thought I might not find a place open early in the morning to watch it... but found a likely venue.
Turned up early in the morning at this bar, they had a free breakfast spread on, welcomed me in.
We all watched it together - me getting really rather drunk sitting at the bar nervously chopping beer after beer. The locals started enjoying just watching my reaction more than the game I think... and at full-time - they all congratulated me, plenty of hands shaken and pats on the back.
I wandered off in a daze, plenty of locals seeing my All Blacks jersey and congraatulating me... had some lunch, fucked up the timing for my return train - running drunkenly through an international train station - the local gendarme/border-control saw the jersey, congratulated me, asked me which train I was on - the one leaving in about 5 minutes - and ran me through the staff corridors, completely bypassing customs/border-control/etc - to get me onto the train with about 30 seconds to spare.
Pure class - on their part, if not mine.
@Catogrande Yeah - I was looking at the map earlier. trying to figure it out... even Lille seems too big for what I remember.
It had a lovely wee plaza/town-square.
@Kruse call me a romantic, but I love every part of this story, apart from the part where the ABs won the World Cup.
@booboo said in Best of RWC 2011:
Y'know, I'd still struggle with nerves watching that.
I still haven't ever watched it on TV! No motivation to either
Watching the Final just now brought back a lot of memories. We didn't go to a single game, but what a great time we had! Second best experience of a sports event I've ever had, both watching the games in a mate's beer-filled man cave with a group of friends and the whole atmosphere in NZ during the tournament and after the Final.