In an extraordinary match that defied all pre-match predictions, an early try from Tony Woodcock and a penalty by fourth-choice fly-half Stephen Donald were sufficient for the All Blacks to secure victory.
New Zealand 8 – 7 France
France delivered their finest performance of the tournament, coming close to achieving one of the great upsets after captain Thierry Dusatoir scored a try with half an hour left, setting the stage for a nerve-wracking finish.
However, Francois Trinh-Duc missed a long-range penalty, and the All Blacks managed to hold on through desperate defense for a memorable win.
As the final whistle blew, wild jubilation erupted at Eden Park, where the nation celebrated a result reminiscent of the very first World Cup final in 1987.
When skipper Richie McCaw lifted the Webb Ellis trophy into the night sky, an emotional release appeared as a quarter of a century of disappointment disappeared amid fireworks and cheers.
Before the match began, the atmosphere was already electric, heightened when France’s players formed an arrow formation to confront the haka and then advanced slowly across the halfway line amidst the roar of the capacity crowd.
This dramatic display seemed to unsettle players on both sides, resulting in early mistakes. When Piri Weepu aimed a penalty badly wide, anxiety spread to the stands.
Yet, silence fell quickly thanks to a well-executed line-out move. Weepu kicked a penalty into the corner, where Jerome Kaino caught it off the top and handed it to the advancing Woodcock, who charged through a wide opening.
Although Weepu fluffed a straightforward conversion, France appeared rattled.
Despite their solid start, France faced some tough calls from referee Craig Joubert regarding scrums and breakdowns. After fly-half Morgan Parra was forced off due to a head injury, the All Blacks started to control possession, but Weepu missed another easy penalty from just 25 meters out.
His difficulties resulted in the lead remaining at a mere five points instead of a reachable 13, and as half-time neared, momentum shifted.
Fly-half Aaron Cruden suffered a dreadful hyper-extension of his knee during contact and had to be carried off, leading Graham Henry to substitute Donald, who had been fishing for whitebait just a fortnight earlier until injuries to Dan Carter and Colin Slade required his emergency call-up.
France’s own temporary stand-off, Trinh-Duc, squandered a well-positioned drop-goal attempt but soon embarked on a weaving run through a disorganized defensive line, penetrating deep into enemy territory until Weepu’s urgent tap-tackle finally stopped him.
Trinh-Duc had a chance to reduce the score to just two points but slid a penalty wide from the left touchline, only to be penalized by Joubert, giving Donald an easy kick for 8-0.
While some believed France might crumble, Les Bleus had different plans. Trinh-Duc intercepted a poor kick from Weepu and again broke through the All Blacks’ defense. Although Dimitri Yachvili slipped with the try line within reach, the ball was recycled and handed to captain Dusautoir, who easily slid under the posts.
Dusautoir’s score set the scene for a tense final half-hour, as Eden Park went quiet, with Trinh-Duc converting for 8-7, leaving the previously dominant home side visibly shaken.
France transformed from the weak, disunited squad that barely overcame Wales in the semi-final; their half-backs skillfully found the corners with well-placed kicks, forwards made progress with every drive, and a restructured Kiwi line-out began to falter.
With 16 minutes remaining and the tension rising dramatically, Trinh-Duc attempted a penalty from just inside halfway.only to push it wide, yet now the unthinkable appeared to be a genuine possibility.
Replacement Damien Traille intercepted a high ball from Israel Dagg and gained significant ground, putting increasing pressure on the All Blacks’ scrum while the crowd turned silent, as their World Cup aspirations began to feel like a looming nightmare.
As the seconds dwindled and the margin was just one point, France executed an 18-phase attack. Although it yielded minimal ground gain, it led to an attacking scrum on the New Zealand 10m line. However, the hosts regained possession when Aurelien Rougerie was wrapped up.
The All Blacks surged upfield, consuming the remaining time, and when Joubert signaled for yet another infraction by France, the largest celebration in New Zealand’s history commenced.
New Zealand: Israel Dagg, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu, Richard Kahui, Aaron Cruden, Piri Weepu; Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu, Owen Franks, Sam Whitelock, Brad Thorn, Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw (capt), Kieran Read.
Replacements: Andrew Hore (for Mealamu, 49), Ben Franks, Ali Williams (for Whitelock, 48), Adam Thomson, Andy Ellis (for Weepu, 49), Stephen Donald (for Cruden, 34), Sonny Bill Williams (for Nonu, 76).
France: Maxime Médard, Vincent Clerc, Aurélien Rougerie, Maxime Mermoz, Alexis Palisson, Morgan Parra, Dimitri Yachvili; Jean-Baptiste Poux, William Servat, Nicolas Mas, Pascal Papé, Lionel Nallet, Thierry Dusautoir (capt), Julien Bonnaire, Imanol Harinordoquy.
Replacements: Dimitri Szarzewski (for Servat, 65), Fabien Barcella (for Poux, 65), Julien Pierre (for Papé, 70), Fulgence Ouedraogo, Jean-Marc Doussain (for Yachvili, 76), François Trinh-Duc (temp for Parra, 12-17, then 22), Damien Traille (for Clerc, 45).
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
