We did it!

After 24 long year wait and a nail biting 80 minutes, the cup is ours! On Sunday night the nation watched on the edge, of the edge of their seats the most nerve wracking game of the tournament (quite possibly that we have ever watched).

The match started with a scintillating haka that was challenged by the French team with a hand- holding walk-up type arrangement (not that scary really).

Fifteen minutes in Woodcock scored with a well executed line-out move which I imagine had the nation in pubs, lounges and the Cloud on their feet....Weepu missed the conversion.

The crowd got quieter and quieter as Weepu missed a penalty and Aaron Cruden wass hauled off and on comes Stephen Donald, ahem...our fourth choice first five eight. A comedy tank top jersey eased the tension of the spectators and the poor fella tugged and pulled on what we later find out to be last years size. FYI -Donald was plucked from the throws of a whitebaiting trip with the boys in Hamilton to come and play, not an intensive training regime of an All Black camp.

Just inside the second half the French are caught with their hands in a ruck and Donald nails a penalty....phew.

In the second half the French score and convert a try and put New Zealand into cardiac arrest and begin what was to become a very uncomfortable nauseous last 25 minutes.

The last 15 minutes were excruciating to watch and an overwhelming sense of relief showed on the faces of the team as the final whistle blew leaving the final score at 8-7 to NZ.

So exciting and NZ will been bask in the glory of this win for 4 years. The All Blacks played their heart out and were backed by 4 million kiwis who loved every minute of it.

The aftermath begins.....