This memorable World Cup will have the final it deserves – New Zealand v Australia. The two most complete sides, the last two unbeaten sides and simply the best two sides. Come teatime next Saturday, one of these countries will make history by becoming the first to win the William Webb Ellis trophy for the third time.
In the black corner, Richie McCaw, perhaps the greatest player as well as the most capped player of all time, will seek to become the first man to lift the trophy twice in succession if the All Blacks become the first country to retain their status as world champions; perhaps then verifying Heineke Meyer’s claim that they are, indeed, the best team of all time.
In the gold corner, Michael Cheika’s Wallabies. They clinically punished Argentina’s flawed ambition and then withstood a wild and loose comeback to somehow keep their try-line intact with the kind of unyielding stubbornness that is a trademark of his teams.
As with the All Blacks scoring two tries to nil on Saturday, so the Wallabies scored four tries to none to win yesterday’s semi-final by 29-15.
Hence, a year and three days since taking over a Wallabies set-up that was close to turmoil, Cheika is one match away from augmenting his record as the only coach to win the European Cup and Super Rugby titles with the world’s biggest crown, not to mention a Rabo Pro12 and indeed a Rugby Championship at his first attempt.
Soreness
He’s some man, although he’d be the last man to take any credit for it. Individual glory would be entirely against the culture he generates wherever he goes, be it Leinster, the Waratahs or the Wallabies.
“I’m not taking credit. It is about players wanting to play. I don’t know if we are turned around. The guys are just playing for each other and want to play for Australia. In rugby, the basis is to be committed to your teammates. We are just going day by day. Now I will have to work on what we will do next week. One of the big things we want to bring is honesty. Let’s try our best and be honest with each other and show that with the way we play the game.”
Australia are the only team to have beaten New Zealand this year, scoring three tries in their 27-19 win in Sydney, albeit they were routed 41-13 in Eden Park a week later and have won only one of the last dozen meetings, which include two draws.
He declined to go as far as Meyer. “You’d have to trawl through the history books wouldn’t you? They’ve had some good teams.” But Cheika did admit: “They are obviously the world No 1, and there for a reason. We have only beaten them once in the last 10 so they will be feeling pretty good that they have got our measure.
“We have to do something special to be even competitive and then we will see. It is a World Cup final so the adrenaline will be pumping and anyone will forget about soreness.”
Despite twice shooting themselves in the foot to go 14-3 down and suffering a welter of injuries, Argentina kept running at Australia, and for 18 thrilling minutes in the second half as the crowd adopted the Pumas, the Wallabies were clinging on to a 22-15 lead.
“What’s important to say is that I am a massive fan of the Argentines and the way they are playing the game now. You have got to give a lot of credit to the coach on how they are playing running footy,” said Cheika.
Nor was his counterpart Daniel Hourcade for turning. Asked if he regretted Argentina starting with an expansive style, he said: "No, I'm completely satisfied. I feel very proud of what the team has achieved. If we played again I would follow the same plan. They dominated in the breakdown. We dominated in the second half but we didn't get any tries. If we had got a try then I think things could have been different."
On the day when Los Pumas assumed centre-stage back in Argentina along with their presidential elections, Hourcade and his captain Agustin Creevy vowed to try their damndest to win next Friday’s third-place play-off with South Africa in the Olympic Stadium, which Meyer described as “like kissing your sister”.
Learning curve
Either way, they will go home with their heads held high. “This team has always tried, there were many problems today but I think we are on the right path. It is a learning curve, we review the mistakes we made and our legacy will be the way we play the game,” said Hourcade. “Everyone will agree that we should be very proud of this team. They gave it their all, they left empty. The message should be that you have to give it your all in everything you do.”
While Cheika played down the groin injury which contributed to Matt Giteau leaving the pitch (a greater concern will be Scott Sio judging by yesterday's scrums), Steve Hansen will have a full hand to deal from.
As expected World Rugby yesterday confirmed that McCaw will not be cited for the incident with Francois Louw in the 22nd minute of Saturday's semi-final which prompted some frenzied speculation.
“Having studied the footage, it was established that McCaw’s hip made contact with Louw’s shoulder. There will be no citings coming out of the All Blacks 20-18 victory over South Africa.”
Earlier in the day, Hansen remarked: “Everyone’s got a bit excited and we move on.”
The final will have the defending captain it deserves too.
