Wynne Gray's 50 greatest rugby moments: No.4

Wallabies captain John Eales celebrates during the 1999 Rugby World Cup final. Photo / Getty

There were a couple of pre-match hiccups for the Wallabies.

Most of the players shed tears in an emotional meeting before the 1999 World Cup final at their Cardiff hotel and when they left for the ground in the bus, several vans blocked their exit.

Not a problem. The reserves humped the offending vehicles out of the way and the team set off for their date with France.

In his final changing room address, coach Rod Macqueen read some inspiring lines about the Great War which urged his men into unflinching combat against a team whose dubious tactics had thrown the All Blacks out of semifinal kilter.

Richard Harry, Michael Foley then captain John Eales were eye-gouged as the Wallabies edged to a 12-6 all kicks halftime lead.

Complaints were listened to by referee Andre Watson but he had not seen any atrocities.

The Wallabies maintained their lead and the French kept up the dirty tactics until Eales was overheard, during a break in play, complaining bitterly to Watson.

"If this continues, we will leave the field, we will just leave the field," Eales threatened. It was a dramatic spike in a final of modest content. Eales motioned to rival lock Abel Benazzi to speak to his teammates and that appeared to have some effect.

In the final quarter, the tries finally came. Tim Horan, in the midfield role he dominated, put Ben Tune away and the wing ran through some stuttering defence to score before Owen Finegan shed about nine tackles on a 30m rampage to score.

The margin blew out to 35-12 and the Wallabies had a second crown to add to their 1991 title. For men like Eales and Horan who were the warrior backbone, tacticians and brilliant architects, this was even better than before.

In a week when Australia held a referendum about replacing the Queen, she presented the Webb Ellis Cup to Eales.

Back in the dressing room they saluted each individual as they drank from the Cup with extra commotion for Eales, double world champion, and Horan, double ditto, the leader and his lieutenant, two men whose soul helped bring "Bill" home for the Wallabies.