Fitting finale to thrilling Cup
Whangā rei’s town slogan is ‘‘Love It Here!’’, which can be seen as an affirmation, a command, or a plea, depending on your experience of Northland. With a population floating around 55,000, Aotearoa’s most northern city, with respect, would not necessarily jump out as a location to host international sporting matches.
Someone at World Rugby obviously spent some time there, though, because what ‘‘Whangā s’’ lacks in size it makes up for in passion.
In the kind of community engagement that larger cities would have killed for in 2011, locals have embraced the 2021 Rugby World Cup matches and players.
Those fans have got to witness some epic clashes, perhaps none more than England and France’s titanic pool match, which was as close as England, the best team in the world, have looked to losing.
On the final day, the city hosted matches that saw the Black Ferns’ quarterfinal deconstruction of Wales. The roar of the stadium crowd was surely a great vindication for whoever stood up in a rugby boardroom and went ‘‘What about Whangā rei? They’ll love it there!’’
It certainly was a special match for Northland legend Portia Woodman, as she scored her 20th World Cup try, breaking the record previously held by England’s Sue Day. For a slight comparison, the men’s record sits at 15 and is jointly held by Bryan Habana, of South Africa, and one Jonah Tali Lomu.
In fact, there have been some breathtaking tries in this tournament of skill, speed and flair. Canada’s Paige Farries scored one so brilliant in their quarterfinal match-up, weaving through players at pace, that she genuinely made the USA defenders look like computer opposition from Jonah Lomu Rugby.
Fiji’s Karalaini Naisewa crossed for a sensational last-minute score to beat South Africa and secure the Fijiana their first-ever tournament win. It was the climax to a scrappy, attacking, back-and-forth match that electrified the crowd and commentators.
With neither Samoa nor Tonga having a team present this year, it was also a great excuse for the rest of the Pacific to pull out the kava in celebration.
The semifinals seemed to take things up a notch.
Canada continually smashed into England’s front row to set up arguably the most entertaining backs in the tournament. There is a joyful audacity to the Canadian game that combines good fundamentals with a sort of ‘‘why not?’’ mentality.
It would intimidate most teams, but England just do not play with fear, as evidenced by their brilliant full-length try from behind their own tryline. You would be excused for thinking their 26-19 match was as tight as the knockout stages would get.
But then New Zealand played France. The complicated rugby relationship between the two countries had another chapter written into its book with a 25-24 absolute thriller.
The French are ranked below New Zealand but, because they’re France, didn’t seem to care, and took an early lead. For 56 excruciating minutes the Black Ferns trailed, with a bit of magic from Ruby Tui – sprinting in to touch the ball down inches before the deadball line – keeping them in the match. Even when New Zealand went ahead, fans seemed acutely aware that only the English have beaten us more.
French back rower Romane Me´ nager scored her second try of the game and then rugby lovers were treated to 15 of the tensest minutes in sporting history. Was the yellow card for veteran Safi N’Diaye (in her 90th test) warranted with only 10 minutes left? The answer probably depends on what language you’re speaking.
Still, no-one told the French they couldn’t win it, and they had a pearl of an opportunity with 25 seconds left. Thoughts and prayers to French kicker Caroline Drouin, who missed a hauntingly simple 30-metre kick, though one that gave Black Ferns coach Wayne Smith traumatic flashbacks to 2011.
Refreshingly, any scandals in the tournament have only been on the field. The men’s World Cup doesn’t even start till next year, and the police have already raided the offices in France.
Now all that remains is for the two best teams in the world to once again compete for the World Cup. In fact, the only team to win the tournament apart from England and New Zealand is the US, way back at the original tournament in 1990.
England have a forward pack that Clive Woodward would be proud of, consistently punching through opposition defences. But they’re facing the Black Ferns at Eden Park.
It is most likely the final World Cup game for Kiwi players Kendra Cocksedge and Renee Wickliffe, as well as England’s legendary captain Sarah Hunter, and all-time leading point-scorer Emily Scarratt. If it lives up to the tournament so far, it’s going to be one hell of a final.