( picture http://bit.ly/1MadPEW)
The curtain came down on Saturday on what was the best World Cup ever. England’s team may have not set the world alight , but you couldn’t fault the host country for the quality of the show they put on, full stadiums, loads of atmosphere and full support for the smaller team, whether it was Japan or Namibia.
But on Saturday, there was only one team running the show, and that was New Zealand. They were fresher than Australia, more clinical, and it would have a travesty of justice if they hadn’t won. Australia made a game of it in the 10 minutes that Ben Smith was in the bin, but apart from that it was the All Blacks all the way. Dan Carter was imperious, and there’s of other fine players we won’t see the like of again, McCaw, Nonu, Conrad Smith, and Giteau for Australia. New Zealand have only lost 3 times since the last world cup, so really this was theirs to lose, and the rest of the World needs to catch up in a hurry!
On Friday, South Africa claimed third spot in a game that was not high in enthusiasm. South Africa went through the motions a lot more efficiently (if not very excitingly), and Argentina did themselves no favours, giving a demonstration of howtopeeoffarefferee101 by with a blatantly cynical infringement right in front of the ref in the first 5 minutes, and getting a yellow card. Notwithstanding this result, Argentina are a team on the rise, and could a step further at the next World Cup. And the Springboks need a rejig if they want to stay at the top. One last time to salute the likes of Victor Matfield, Schalk Burger, Fourie Du Preez, and Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe.
Argentina 13 – 24 South Africa
Australia 17 – 34 New Zealand
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