All Blacks Rule at Rugby World Cup
November 2, 2015
New Zealand’s defeat of Australia Saturday for the 2015 Rugby World Cup was more than a victory, it was a coronation. Many sports writers praised the 2015 All Blacks as the greatest team in the history of the sport. New Zealand won its second straight title and third overall (the team won the first World Cup in 1987). The All Blacks became the first team to win three cups.
Ma’a Nonu beats the diving tackle of Drew Mitchell to score the 2nd Try for New Zealand. Credit: © Rex Features/AP Photo
Coach Steve Hansen said team captain and flanker Richie McCaw and fly-half Dan Carter were the greatest All Blacks in history, a gigantic tribute considering the long and hallowed tradition of the sport in New Zealand. After the match, McCaw, who kicked 19 points against Australia, announced his retirement.
The final match was played at Twickenham Stadium in London. Australia put up a game fight but still lost by a convincing 34-17 score. The tournament illuminated the fact that there is a considerable separation between New Zealand and the rest of the rugby world. The All Blacks had lost just three times in 54 matches since their World Cup triumph in New Zealand four years ago.
The success of the tournament validated rugby as a sport on the rise internationally. Exuberant but orderly fans from all over the world crowded the London streets in the days leading up to the Cup final. The competition drew a record 2,600,741 spectators for a Rugby World Cup tournament, 95 per cent of stadium capacity.
