Beauden Barrett celebrates his try in the second half with Julian Savea, Sonny Bill Williams, Daniel Carter, Ben Smith, Tawera Kerr-Barlow and Ma'a Nonu. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Beauden Barrett celebrates his try in the second half with Julian Savea, Sonny Bill Williams, Daniel Carter, Ben Smith, Tawera Kerr-Barlow and Ma'a Nonu. Photo / Brett Phibbs
When the All Blacks won the World Cup in New Zealand four years ago, it was hard to imagine any victory could be sweeter. But their triumph at Twickenham yesterday morning tastes every bit as good. It was of course more convincing than the final against France, and a bettermatch. For that, New Zealanders should give a fair share of credit to the Australians. They play the fast and expansive game the All Blacks do. Together, the antipodean rivals gave London a fine display of rugby, helped also by the unintrusive refereeing of Nigel Owens.
But the main reason this victory was so sweet was that it was built on the last. Four years ago, said Richie McCaw yesterday, they set themselves the goal of not only winning the next World Cup, but of living up to the title of world champions every year. That is what they have done.
The All Blacks are not only the first rugby team to win the Cup three times, and the first to win it twice in succession, they are the first Cup winners to dominate international rugby every year in between.
It is the particular achievement of Steve Hansen and his co-coaches that they have not relied too much on the team who won the previous World Cup.
The prominence yesterday of Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu, McCaw, and Conrad Smith (who created the space for the first try) showed the value of veterans from the 2011 campaign. But younger players Hansen has blooded since 2011 - Aaron Smith, Brodie Retallick, Julian Savea, Dane Coles and others - are now a core of experience that suggests this team are far from finished.
When Hansen assembled this mixture of youth and experience in 2012, they set out to exceed even the previous year's achievement - and they have done so. On the objective measure of their record now, they can be called the greatest of all time. As All Blacks, they are aware of the heritage they represent and the futility of trying to compare teams of different eras, especially those who played before there was a Rugby World Cup. The game is faster now, the players are bigger and fitter, with the advantages of professional conditioning and specialised coaching.
We should also acknowledge and admire the change in the All Black culture that has happened under the guidance of Sir Graham Henry and Steve Hansen (and, surely, he will be knighted soon). Heavy drinking seems no longer to be part of it. Henry and Hansen looked for character as well as talent in the players they selected and developed. The values of their All Blacks are probably percolating rugby at all levels in New Zealand and should be copied in our wider culture too.
Savouring the moment yesterday, McCaw (another who, surely, will be knighted soon) said: "Sometimes we think the end goal is the happy part. But it's doing the work along the way that you've got to enjoy and that makes the end part, if you achieve it, mean you can sit back and smile."
Success comes to those who work hard and enjoy it. They are in every way an inspiration.
