"We considered pretty carefully whether to take an active role in that and ultimately decided it wasn't our issue to get involved in.
"So we stood back and passed advice on it quietly. We took no active public role, and that was the right decision. That's what experience teaches you."
Barring a last-minute disaster, Snedden admitted the tournament had exceeded all expectations. But organisers were always prepared for the worst. They had a list drawn up of 150 worst-case scenarios, from terrorism to natural disasters.
"We tried to work out anything that could go wrong," he said.
The contingency plan included the horror-of-all-horrors - a repeat of the All Blacks getting knocked out in the quarter-finals.
Should the unthinkable have occurred, Kiwis would have kept a stiff upper lip, said Snedden.
"By the end of the pool phase, the country had bought in to the idea that the tournament itself was a greater opportunity than the All Blacks winning.
"It's not beyond the realms of possibility that we still may have to face that situation [tonight] but at least then the tournament is over."
Snedden said he was warned that the IRB would be a difficult beast to get along with.
"Over the years, we had two or three what I would describe as really hot issues which we've managed to deal with out of the public eye.
"And they can stay out there because we worked through and found solutions. That's a sign of a good relationship."
He admitted the IRB hadn't helped its own public image by dishing out fines to the Tuilagi brothers for wearing non-complying mouthguards.
But Snedden added: "They make hundreds of decisions and most of those decision are pretty well right.
"[People] love giving them shit for the things that they perceive they've done wrong. I wish the things like mouthguard fines hadn't happened, but I suspect those players set that up to happen."
Win, lose or draw, Snedden planned to party until dawn tomorrow morning at the SkyCity Grand Hotel at a post-final event with several hundred staff from RWC 2011.
And regardless of how many beers were downed, Snedden would have his own World Cup hangover to deal with.
"I got addicted to watching live rugby," he said. "I have been to 24 matches and watched every minute that I could on TV.
"That's going to be hard to deal with. There will be a hangover period, but at least we can be satisfied with a good tournament."
He didn't expect a huge outpouring of nationalism, as some had predicted, should the All Blacks be crowned world champions.
"An emotional release came during and after the Australian semifinal. There's a spreading of that emotional joy across a whole range of things.
"Everyone will have a smile on their face, it's just I think the reaction has already been happening by virtue of the enjoyment people have had in this event."
Snedden hasn't always had a healthy relationship with the media and admitted he was exasperated by some of the negativity ahead of the event.
But he believed during the lead-up the country was looking through a prism tainted by the disasters of the Christchurch earthquake and Pike River Mine.
Snedden would stay on at the World Cup until December 23, before taking a long summer break.
He has already had talks with 2015 Cricket World Cup organisers about a role with that tournament.
After living in New Zealand his entire life, he said he would happily move to Australia or England to take up a new job - preferably remaining in cricket or rugby circles.
With his four children, aged 17 to 23, almost grown up, he had flexibility for the first time. But any decision would depend on his wife Annie.
"She's had to put up with a fair bit over the past 10 years or so. We've reached a time now where it's got to be right.
"I can take the foot off the accelerator a bit now. It's been an intense 10 years. It's been issue after issue after issue.
"There's never been a period of serenity in our lives."
