Kerre McIvor: Enjoy the spectacle - win, lose or draw

COMMENT:

A friend of mine is celebrating a significant birthday soon.

She rang me to tell me to hold the date, and said it would be a party in a private room at a local restaurant and that there would be about 20 of us.

And then she added that the Rugby World Cup final would also be on that night, but kick-off was at 10pm.

If we're in the final, she said, we'll be off home and watch it together. If not, well, we'll just carry on partying.

I said that sounded like a perfect plan and put the date in my diary. And I realised, as I wrote it, that I hadn't felt a single pang when she said 'IF we're in the final'. There was no assumption, from either of us, that the All Blacks are dead certs to make the final and I have to say that felt liberating.

I hope they are. They SHOULD be. But they might not. And that's OK.

I remember being on radio as the horror unfolded in the 2007 World Cup quarter-final against France. The All Blacks were downed 20-18 by France and I opened the talkback lines to shell-shocked New Zealand rugby fans from all over the world.

They needed to talk, to share their pain, with others who understood. Following on from the 2003 semifinal loss to Australia, and still smarting from the famous George Gregan burn - "Four more years, boys!" - it was awful to realise that we'd have to wait yet another four years for a crack at the ultimate trophy in rugby.

I didn't enjoy the final when we were hosting the RWC in New Zealand, either. We'd made the final but we'd lost some key players and most people knew Richie McCaw was basically down to one leg.

There was no guarantee we'd win - despite the fact that we'd trounced France on the way to the final and the French players had revolted against their coach on the way to their spot in the final. I was terrified at the prospect of losing. I shuddered to think how some Kiwis would react. It would be ugly - and our violent underbelly would be there for all the world to see.

When the final whistle blew with the score 8-7 in favour to the All Blacks, I was almost sick with relief. We may have behaved with graciousness and dignity in the event of a loss - but I'm really really glad we, as a nation, weren't put to the test.

We've won two cups on the trot now, and there's every chance of a threepeat, but I'm not expecting it and I'm not even taking it for granted that we'll cruise into the final. And that makes me look forward to this campaign all the more.

The flags are up around the office, we've instituted a Footy Shirt Friday for the duration of the cup, and I can't wait for the games.

I haven't as yet upgraded the telly and installed the package because it's been a very busy week and because I'm exactly one of those people whom the head of Spark Sport, Jeff Latch, says will wait to the last minute to sign up.

In the meantime, I shamelessly cadged a dinner and All Black watching evening at a friend's last night.

Losing in the quarters in 2007 turned out to be a good thing for the young skipper Richie McCaw. He said it taught him all about resilience and coping. And I think losing has made us better as a nation too. Win or lose, New Zealand, it's going to be fine.