Video shows McCaw being eye-gouged

The French team left New Zealand last night with their reputation tarnished after damning video images emerged showing the eye-gouging of All Blacks captain Richie McCaw by French centre Aurelien Rougerie during the Rugby World Cup final.

France's management refused to comment on the incident - other than to claim the All Blacks skipper kneed a Frenchman in the face earlier in the match.

The eye-gouging, which yesterday threatened to cast a cloud over victory celebrations, was revealed by veteran commentator Keith Quinn.

He said the All Blacks captain was the victim of eye-gouging towards the end of the game, and French skipper Thierry Dusautoir was "right there".

Quinn told the New Zealand Herald he had "confirmation from a source, which I'm saying is close to the New Zealand team", that eye-gouging took place.

French media manager Lionel Rossigneux said the team would not comment on the allegations, but said "a knee hit the face of Morgan Parra by Richie McCaw".

Last night Sky Sport show Reunion screened film which revealed the culprit was not IRB player of the year Dusautoir, but Rougerie. It showed Rougerie appear to head-butt McCaw, who was lying on the ground, before raking his fingers across his face and eyes in the 77th minute of the final.

Reunion panelist Grant Nisbett described the images as "damning" and former All Blacks halfback Jon Preston said it was "indefensible".

If Rougerie had been cited, he could have been suspended for six months. Under IRB rules, the citing period after the game closed at 10.45pm yesterday. Earlier yesterday, the IRB said it had received no complaints.

The NZ Rugby Union confirmed no complaints had been made to the IRB.

McCaw told TVNZ yesterday: "I got poked in the eye or something. I don't know if it was intentional ... It was pretty quick. When the final whistle went, I had no damage, it was fine. I am just happy we won."

Teammate Kieran Read said he didn't see the incident. But he added: "At the time the skip said he was getting eye-gouged. Obviously something has happened."

Before the final, the French reacted angrily to suggestions that they could resort to ugly tactics.

Close up from Sky TV footage