Best World Cup final?

[Tiglon]

Really?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... eport.html

"Comfortably the best World Cup final".

Am I the only one thinking the rugby was distinctly average at best, rather like the whole tournament? Sure, it was tense, but only by virtue of the fact that neither team could create anything with ball in hand, or kick any goals.

[Darc Tiger]

I really enjoyed it. Gripped pretty much the whole way through.

[baz1664]

The poor refereeing is more of a talking point than the match itself, seems to be a common theme throughout this world cup.

[dontlookdown]

From a neutral point of view I would have thought you couldn't really get much more gripping then 2003

[hugh78]

I thought it was really gripping, but largely due to two huge defensive displays,the amount of tension and France running the ball a lot. There was not a single second where something game changing was not happening. I bet if you were in the stadium it would have felt like one of the best finals, far better than the harlem globetrotter type performance that some were predicting, to me, that would have been boring.

[stonebob]

ya i agree the drama was in the possability of either side conceding a pen near the end ...but the ref decided to stay away from having to make that decision and there wasent anything too controversial where you might say it changed the outcome of the game

[DickyP]

I thought it was a pretty dire game actually - France competing against 16 men didn't help.

[G.K]

Yes good game but ruined by a one eyed ref!!

[Ads677]

I blame the IRB - if possible, worse than the RFU.

[Kinoulton]

I loved it. The ref was a bit of a "homer" but it didn't spoil it for me.

[Ze Stade Fan]

I loved it. The ref was a bit of a "homer" but it didn't spoil it for me.

I think that's a fair point of view, Kinny "a bit of a homer" ! Loved that game anyway !

[Mat]

I guess it depends on what you mean best and we are all diferent. The Quality of the attacking flowing rugby was far form the best but then pressure often does this to fianals. NZ normally put 40 odd point on France.

The final did have the story of David and Goliath with the unexpected and poor trench making the final and the World n1 NZ
It also had the NZ best side in the world for so many years but failed to win the WC for 25 years! The team with their two gods one injured and one playing on one leg! etc etc

Close games can be poor standard of rugby but intense exciting matches to watch.

take your pick it depends what you enjoy I thought it was a thrilling game.

[mightymouse]

as a neutral in all the RWC finals I think this one ranked right up there with some of the best. I also agree the the referee (normally not a bad one ) was influenced by the crowd. Referees I always have a tendancy at international level to err on the side of the so called better team. The All Blacks often therefore get the rub of the green and Mccaw in partictular gets away with a heck of a lot.

However back on the theme of best RWC finals this I think was a very very close third behind 2003 because of how much it meant to NZ and their previous ability to choke in front of the French. However for pure drama, given the history and politics and a whole nation against an invinsible team and a superman type figure surely 1995 has to be the best. It had everything - Mandela and Piennar. Lomu and Fitzpatrick. Power on one side passion on the other. Extra time and finally a last minute opportunity and up steps our very own hero .......... Joel Stransky ...... wonderful .. you could not write a better script .. you could make a film out of it ...........oh they have!!

[Stupid]

In terms of great rugby there have been better, and in terms of close games I don't see how it can beat '95 and '03 that needed extra time. So as much as I enjoyed the game, it was not the best by any stretch imo. For me the best has to be '95.

[gimme]

cracking cup final, the whole thing, credit to all, especially the ref, there are 44 players out there all make at least one error....only one ref though, and he`s got the biggest magnifying glass homed in on him...give him some credit please