On this day in 2011: All Blacks win the World Cup

Planet Rugby

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw lifts the Webb Ellis trophy following the IRB Rugby World Cup final between New Zealand and France at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2011. New Zealand defeated France 8-7.(AAP Image/Dave Hunt) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

New Zealand claimed their first Rugby World Cup triumph since 1987 when they sealed a narrow victory in the final of the global showpiece on this day in 2011.

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw held the William Webb Ellis trophy aloft following his side’s hard-fought 8-7 win after France put them under great pressure when their captain, Thierry Dusautoir, scored a try in the second half.

French fightback

That came after Tony Woodcock crossed the whitewash in the first half to give his side a 5-0 lead at the interval before Stephen Donald slotted a penalty, but Les Bleus launched a fightback with Dusautoir’s five-pointer which was converted by Francois Trinh-Duc.

France applied concerted pressure in the final stages but the All Blacks held on and breathed a huge sigh of relief as they celebrated World Cup glory for the first time since 1987.

McCaw said: “It wasn’t very pretty, but it came down to how much desire, how much courage the boys had. A lot of guys have put a lot of effort in for a long time, and they weren’t going to let the opportunity go.

“We probably didn’t play our best, but we played good enough. I take my hat off to every single player who took to the field.”

Coach Graham Henry, who stepped down after the tournament, said: “We have been through a lot together. A lot of the guys played in the last World Cup and fell at the quarter-final and, to win this, there are no words for it, quite frankly.”

His France counterpart Marc Lievremont, for whom it was also a last match in charge, said: “It is tremendously sad, but I am tremendously proud of the players. We said the All Blacks were the best team in the world. Today, the French team was great.”