World Cup moments: L'horreur, l'horreur

By ALAN PERROTT

New Zealand versus France, World Cup semifinal. October 31, 1999, Twickenham, England.

The scene

Despite five disastrous losses on the trot in 1998, John Hart's All Blacks swept into Britain on a tide of hype, vainglorious optimism, high-tech uniforms and a repainted 747.

After Jonah again did a job on the English, they cruised to a Hallowe'en semifinal against Five Nations wooden-spooners France, a team they had humbled 54-7 four months earlier.

Plan A was looking fine when the All Blacks were seven points ahead at half-time and it was all smiles and pumping fists when another Lomu charge stretched the lead to 14. Then the sky fell and the French forwards morphed from Dr Jekyll to Monsieur Hyde.

First five Lamaison was kicking goals at will, winger Dominici chased a chip-kick to score and the All Blacks smoothly switched to plan B: blind panic. In 13 hellish minutes they had gone from likely worldbeaters to stumblebums, 12 points in the red ...

The moment

Only seven minutes are left in a half straight from the Book of Revelations. The All Blacks are 24-36 down when they win a kickable penalty. But these are desperate times so Taine Randell calls a scrum.

An attacking backline move turns to custard when Tana Umaga's hands turn to mud. Olivier Magne and Philippe Bernat-Salles combine to hack the spilled ball 70m downfield and the chase is on.

Bernat-Salles just beats the desperate Jeff Wilson to the ball and it's game over. Buggeur. Pass the knife.

What we said

"It was heaven and it was hell. France 43, New Zealand 31. A record score against the All Blacks. The favourites humbled and bumbled into the indignity of a third-place playoff.

"And for the soldiers of France, who had turned their backs on the haka to sing the Marseillaise, the day of glory truly had dawned at last."

What next

As the rugby world celebrated an incredible comeback, New Zealand wallowed in bile and anguish.

The dispirited All Blacks lost the playoff to the Springboks. John Hart fell on his sword and was slagged throughout the country. Even his horse, Holmes DG, was spat on in Christchurch. Remember the pain.

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