The Final. I can rest in peace too.

80 minutes of truly nerve racking, intense and physical rugby left me with less hair and fewer fingernails than when it started, but boy am I happy. Both teams were immense.

From the off France belied their status as “the worst team to grace a world cup final” and fronted in a big way. I think their idea of standing up to the Haka was brilliant and to be honest more teams should do that. Harinordoquy was immense and played like the giant he is, but it was the two captains going hammer and tong that made the game.

At one stage, about 75 minutes, McCaw looked down and out but grimaced, got up, dusted himself off and got on with the job of winning. Dusautoir was again amazing and he, like McCaw has a never ending battery and a heart as a big as an ox.

There’s not much else to say really. It wasn’t a classic but it was classic. For one period late in the 2nd half with the French throwing everything at the ABs, they repelled every attack and were resolute, not giving an inch of ground. But they were smart too in making sure that they did not give the French an opportunity to kick for goal or even touch. Squeaky bum time in the extreme. Just looking around the people in the pub I watched it at this morning and seeing their anxiety on their faces made it quite obvious. Imagine the pressure the players were under!

I have to put my hand up and apologise to Stephen and the Donald family. In a previous column I may have suggested he wasn’t good enough for the All Blacks and to be honest when he was called in as a replacement I would have preferred Donald Trump or even Donald Duck! But when called upon he did what needed to be done and I guess that is testament to the 2011 All Blacks.

Graham Henry and his team deserve the plaudits as well. This team has been the best prepared, best coached and most well trained team of all and the fact that he finishes with an 85% winning record beggars belief.

Who knows what will happen in the UK in 2015, right now I don’t care. I’m just proud to be a Kiwi.