Black to Black Wins.
In Brief
When: September 18th to October 31st
The Hosts: The Mother Country
Winners: Nigel Owens AB’s
Runners Up: Aussies
Third: Saffa’s
Fourth: Argies
And, so, we come to the penultimate version of the RWC Chronicles, 2015, with not only RWC 2023 looming, but also the imminent end of RDU, which has bookended the Chronicles and is soon to be consigned to the list of fascinating historical short stories, along with the likes of the Leyland P76, Mal Meninga’s political career and France’s 1940 defensive line. Looking forward to RDU reverting back to our old friend, a bigger and brighter G&GR. It’s been fun pulling the Chronicles together and hopefully readers will have found the stories of interest.
A personal note here. While the RWC concept has delivered us a series of brilliant event and has seriously anchored the exposure of the game over nearly 40 years, it does bother me that now so much of what happens in elite rugby every year, be that test matches, selections, coaches, player debuts etc. is overwhelmingly focused on what those matters may mean for RWC prospects, with the event sometimes 2 and 3 years away. I guess the flip side is that if the RWC motivates countries to improve the performance of their team then that’s probably a good thing.
The 2015 RWC saw the All Blacks become the first side to win the cup back to back. Prior to the tournament it would be a brave punter to bet against this outcome.
I didn’t previously know this:
The (IRB) requested that any member unions wishing to host the 2015 or 2019 world cups should indicate their interest by 15 August 2008. This would be purely to indicate interest; no details had to be provided at that stage. A record 10 unions indicated formal interest in either event: Australia, England, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Russia, Scotland, South Africa and Wales.
Of the 10 nations that had expressed formal interest, many withdrew their candidacy in early 2009. Jamaica (?) was the first to withdraw its candidacy. Russia withdrew in February 2009 to concentrate on bidding for the 2013 RWC 7’s- which was indeed played in Moscow. Australia and Ireland withdrew in spring 2009 due to financial reasons. Scotland withdrew in April 2009 after they were unable to secure co-hosting partners for the tournament. Wales was the last nation to officially pull out after they failed to submit a bid by 8 May 2009, but they backed England’s bid and some games were played at Millenium Stadium.
The Pool Matches
England kicked off their home series with the opening ceremony at Twickenham, followed by a solid 35-11 win against Fiji. And then, one day later, Japan pulled off the biggest shock in Rugby World Cup history with a stunning win over South Africa in Brighton. Our mate Eddie putting his stamp on another RWC. There weren’t many of us not cheering when Hesketh scored out wide in the 80th minute for the 34-32 result. Said jones “Japan beating South Africa? I had to look at the scoreboard at the end just to see if it was true or not. We kept hanging in there. It looked at one stage when they got seven points ahead that they would run away with it.
“We are not done. If we make the quarter-finals then I can retire. I want to be like Clive Woodward. That’s my dream.” As it turned out they didn’t make the Qs, and he hasn’t retired.
As much as I have great distaste for the circumstances of Ewan McKenzie’s resignation and Michael Cheika’s subsequent appointment as national coach in late 2014 – which I won’t deal with here- the Wallabies did bring a very capable squad to England. Fardy, Pocock and Hooper had become an effective backrow, Tevita provided a powerful midfield presence, Folau was solid and I would have to say the tournament delivered some of Foley’s finest G&G moments- 82 points for the series, equaling Carter’s numbers. QC was in the squad, but apart from a run on against Uruguay, we didn’t see much more of him. And of course we saw the activation of the Giteau Law for the first time, which allowed Cheika to bring MG into the squad. Form coming into the tournament was not easy to gauge. Just 1 win in the previous Autumn tour, then a Rugby Championship win and then a trouncing by the ABs in NZ just a few weeks before. As always, the truth would be revealed.
The Wallabies went on to take out Pool A, winning all matches including an 11th in a row win over Wales, delivering a defensive master class (at one stage with 13 men on field). This was after the Wobs cleaned out England 33-13 (28 points to Foley) at Twickers, consigning the host to the RWC also rans. Pocock was rampant at the breakdown through the tournament delivering key turnovers. This was before teams decided it was fine to try and twist his head off.
It was good to see that there were not the massive runaway scores of previous cups in the Pool stages. The Wallabies 65 points against Uruguay was the highest ‘for’ score.
Ireland won Pool D , including an impressive last game win over France. However this came at a cost with key players injured ahead of the playoffs. Argentina was again playing well with the only loss v the ABs. New Zealand moved through the pools looking every bit the cup favourite, although they had their work cut out for them against the Argies at Wembley in front of nearly 90,000 and their old mate Wayne Barnes, who YC’d both McCaw and Conrad Smith in the first half contributing to a 13-12 half time lead to the Pumas.
The Knockout
Wales v South Africa provided a breathless curtain-raiser for a weekend of quarterfinal action. Talk in the build-up to Saturday’s opener was that the big bruisers of Wales and South Africa would play out a tense, direct Test. But what fans inside Twickenham were treated to was an open field with two back divisions eager to run rings around each other. Dan Biggar was full of invention, while Du Preez constantly tested George North’s turning circle with a series of sneaky cross field kicks. Invention and guile from both sides had the crowd roaring and their coaches chewing fingernails. Gareth Davies’ first-half try looked to have set Wales on course for only their third victory in 31 Tests since 1906 over South Africa, but du Preez’s 75th minute try sealed a pulsating win at Twickenham.
While Louis Picamoles scored his team’s only try in their QF clash with the ABs, his French teammates must have thought they were playing ‘whack a mole’ as their opposition rolled out 9 tries. New Zealand definitely brought their A game while the French brought ,well…, what the French can sometimes bring. It was a 62-13 rout which sent NZ cruising through to the semis. Ireland went into their QF clash with the Argies without O’Brien, O’Connell , O’Mahony and a key late withdrawal of Jonny O’Sexton. This was in comparison to the Pumas being able to bring back 10 players who had been rested against Namibia. It all proved to be too much for the Irish going down 4 tries to 2, 43-20 and lengthened their RWC semi final drought.
The Wallabies v Scotland QF was not so straightforward. In front of 77,000 at Twickenham Australia snatched a dramatic 35-34 victory with only seconds to spare. Fly-half Bernard Foley landed a routine penalty in the 80th minute after the Scots had fought back to lead 34-32. Australia scored 5 tries to 3 , but Laidlaw’s 5 penalties and the absence of Pocock made this an 80 minute arm wrestle. For all the attacking threat of Australia’s backline, it came down to a final, controversial penalty. With Scotland two points in front Craig Joubert blew for offside and handed Bernard Foley a kick near the posts and a semi final place. Rugby etiquette was thrown out the window as Scottish fans — and perhaps even some won-over neutrals — booed at full volume. Foley, however, blocked out the hostile chorus to steal the win.
Semi Final time. Saturday and Sunday, 80,000 x2 at Twickenham. A Southern Hemisphere clean sweep. First up, New Zealand wrestled the right to defend their World Cup title by grinding past South Africa in a 20-18 semifinal victory in the driving Twickenham rain. The Webb Ellis Cup holders squeezed the life out of South Africa through a territorial masterclass, with Jerome Kaino and Beauden Barrett claiming crucial tries.
South Africa started well. They allowed the All Blacks to attack, kept their structure, countered through their pacey centres . #10 Handre Pollard was good. In turn the Kiwis got uncharacteristically frustrated, with Jerome Kaino’s card at the close of the first half a sign of their uneasiness, and South Africa — who had less possession and territory — knocked over the points offered as the All Blacks conceded nine penalties in the first 40 minutes and were down 12-7. But then in the opening stages of the second half, the All Blacks did what they do. Tight and tough and the Saffas didn’t have a Plan B. South Africa failed to get any go-forward and were rarely in the AB 22. 50 mins gone, a yellow card to Habana and Barrett scores. 20-18 final score.
The Wallaby’s RWC campaign had gone a lot better than I expected it would. Adam Ashley-Cooper’s hat trick powered Australia into the Rugby World Cup final in a 29-15 victory over Argentina marred by a controversial yellow card for Pumas lock Tomas Lavanini. A place in the final for the first time was staring at the Pumas and they were nervous. They leaked two early tries to Rob Simmons and Ashley-Cooper, but were battling for equilibrium when Barnes showed no mercy for Lavanini’s misjudged low tackle on Israel Folau. David Pocock transformed Australia’s breakdown and defensive energy, denying Pumas any tries before Ashley-Cooper’s late third score, courtesy of a stunning break by Drew Mitchell sealing a World Cup final meeting against New Zealand. It was a good all-round performance by Cheika and Larkham’s men.
The Final.
And then there were two. Long time rivals, Wallabies and All Blacks meeting in a World Cup final for the first time. World rankings #1 and #2 (remember that?) coming into the tournament. Each with two previous titles under their belts. The All Blacks were looking to win back to back and to give a number of retiring legends, including Carter, McCaw and Nonu an appropriate send off. The Wallabies earned their right to be in the final by building their game throughout the 6 matches to this point. Nigel Owens had the whistle.
Led by Stephen Moore, The Wallabies were up for this match. Both teams threw everything at each other as the first half progressed, but the ABs were allowed to spend too much time in the Wallabies half and points accrued. 3 penalties to Carter and a too easy converted try to Milner- Skudder on the right wing made it 16-3 at half time and then 21-3 just after half time when Nonu cracked Australia open in midfield and ran 50 metres to score.
To the Wallabies great credit, they responded. While Ben Smith was serving 10 mins for a tip tackle Pocock and Kuridrani scored, closing the scoreline to 21-17.
But that was as close as it got. A 69 minute field goal from Carter and then a long kick chase won by Barrett, chased all the way by a very fatigued looking Poey, after a ‘catch up rugby’ poor pass from Beale to Mitchell inside the Black 22 was spilled. 34-17.
And so, it ended with Richie McCaw becoming the first skipper to raise Bill twice.
Bronze medal to the Saffas.
Highlights:
