Best of RWC #14 - 2011 Upsets
2011 – Upsets
Episode 14, back to where it all began.
Was this the best ever version of RWC? Call me biased but NZ’s hosting of the behemoth that this tournament had become was top notch. Despite the NZ haters who hated on us being awarded the hosting rights (I’m looking at you Inverdale … whoever the heck you are … your incandescence is still visible). The country embraced it and the rugby world embraced New Zealand, as the host country spent six weeks wondering, hoping, praying … week by week … game by game … that we wouldn’t end up on this goddamned list again.
But before we can confirm or deny that result there was some pretty good footy. Let’s look at that shall we?
The tournament got off with a bang, more on that next time around, but we had to wait until a couple of the heavyweights met before we got an upset result which rather turned the tournament upside down(ish).
Ireland 15 v Australia 6 – Pool C
Auckland became Dublin for the night.
A match that was celebrated and appreciated pretty much everywhere but Australia.
The green army on the field was roared on by the green hoards in the stand as the Irish found a way to counter the feared Australian attack.
Defending like demons the Paddies gave nothing to the Aussies. Piling into tackles they adopted a technique of holding the opposition up and driving them backwards, forming mauls and winning turnovers.
Having watched and “experienced” the game in Australia the tryless game was treated disdainfully by the Australian sporting media (many here on the left side of the ditch don’t really “get” rugby) and the result was a blow for the Australian sporting public. And probably hasn’t helped Australian Rugby’s push for more share of the sporting public’s interest.
A spectacle of running rugby it was not. But a spectacle of passion and commitment and just sheer bloody-mindedness it was.
The biggest upset result of RWC VII threw the knockout draw into a spin, pitting the southern heavyweights Australia and South Africa against each other at the quarterfinal stage, and opening up the “other” side of the draw to the northern hemisphere.
Tonga 19 v France 14 – Pool A
The abiding image of this game, and one of the abiding images of this tournament, was the Tongan front row, most particularly Aleki Lutui and Sona Taumalo, laughing, whooping and taunting their French counterparts as the clock wound down, daring them to take another scrum.
The French had to score twice as Tonga had battled to a 19 - 9 lead. France however sensed an advantage at scrum time and turned down the penalties in front of the posts to have a crack at what they felt was an inferior pack.
The Tongans were having none of it and like good fatties everywhere wanted to scrum. And use up time.
The Froggies fell into the machismo trap and wasted too much time releasing their backs who did manufacture an after the hooter consolation 5-pointer but it was too little, too late. They had run the clock down giving Tonga one of their greatest ever victories.
France had already qualified for post pool play which may have contributed to the result - strange mob those Frogs - but Tonga needed the win to push past Canada to the automatic qualifying spot for RWC 2015.
Argentina 13 v Scotland 12 – Pool B
Lucas González Amorosino.
It’s worth it just for his name.
His try to win it was pretty good too.
You could ask if Argentina beating Scotland that much of an upset?
Yeah … nah … maybe.
(last 15mins of the match)
Scotland has been a full member of the IRFB/IRB (now World Rugby) since, well, since there was an IRFB. They’re expected to beat the newbies … and relatively speaking Argentina are newbies … and were expected to advance to the quarter finals again, having never not reached the final eight.
Pool B was this year’s “Pool of Death” (dum-dum-dum DUM). England, Argentina and Scotland battling it out.
England played enough rugby whilst on their dwarf throwing tour of the South Island to squeeze themselves through to the knockouts – leaving the Argies and Jocks to scrap for the second qualifying spot from the pool.
Anyway, the Sweaties may have thought that Dan Parks’ 72nd minute drop goal would have got them home, but a flash of brilliance by the Argentine backs found replacement fullback Lucas González Amorosino who danced inside his markers to dot for five immediately afterwards.
Skipper and veteran Felipe Contepomi held his nerve to kick the extra two and grab the lead which set off scenes of South American delight under the Caketin stands, and advance his team to a last eight match up with favourites and hosts New Zealand.
Scotland still had a chance with their match against the Poms, and pushed them to the 78th minute when a Chris Ashton try broke their hearts.
Canada 25 v Tonga 20 – Pool A
One other result you could argue may have been unexpected on rankings alone – Tonga were 12th, Canada 14th. I still rated Canada though.
Next up – some real Classics.
my favourite World Cup, only because i took a month off and went to a heap of games. Then went back for the Final
Other than the rugby, the enduring memory is opening night, where we headed to the Auckland Waterfront for pre-game beers, and it was the simple matter of trying to get a train that made us think something was a bit different. Arriving at the waterfront to an absolute sea of people, no room to move, pubs packed. Insane. We ended up just going to Eden Park and having beers there.
Great tournament. Maybe only shaded by 2003?
I was living in Sydney at the time but was able to get permission to work from NZ for the month of the pool stages. Went to loads of games at Eden Park, Albany and Okara Park. It was a great atmosphere at every match I went to
I didn't even try to get tickets for the knockouts stages. I was at Cardiff in 2007 and thought fuck turning up to a knockout game again.. I just did the fun party section at the beginning
@mariner4life said in Best of RWC 2011:
my favourite World Cup, only because i took a month off and went to a heap of games. Then went back for the Final
Same, although I was just working in between games and travelling. Oddly enough I couldn't get tickets for a match in Hawkes Bay but went to all the ABs and a fair few other games around the country.
I was trying to get into the city on opening night and the packed trains and buses just kept shooting by, but there was barely any traffic so it was easy just to taxi there and then back up for the game.
Some of the pool games I went to in Rotorua and New Plymouth were just as much fun as the playoff games at Eden Park. Sitting on the embankment in the sun at Rotorua was much more enjoyable than a night game there.
I do remember driving down Sandringham Rd on the afternoon of the opening game and seeing Tongan flags everywhere.
Epic tournament.
Went to 13 games; meant to be 14, but NZZPJr arrived on the night of the 3/4 playoff. Party atmosphere, the day the tourney kicked off was glorious, downtown was going off, the fanzone was full and closed 4-5 hours before kickoff, was like the last day of the school year.
Luckily we drove to Eden Park ... trains didn't work 
The fan mile was an unexpected success. Boozing and bantering up to the ground; bumped into Stephen Moore's parents as we walked to the SF against Australia! They were happier before the game than after it.
EP was amazing. The temp stands at each end created an incredible bowl-like atmosphere. Still an incredible tournament, and the party through the group stages was non-stop.
Biggest gripe for me was the schedulign didn't line up for a roadie. Would have been great to spend 4-5 days doing consecutive games in Wellington, New Plym, across to Hawke's Bay, Hamilton and then Auckland. Ah well.
Loved it as a tournament, and loved the Richie finally got Bill.
2011 - Two memories.
-
Biting our leather sofa. I was thinking "Not again, and not against France..." We replaced the sofa last year, and yes, the bite marks were still visible...
-
Beaver coming on with a shirt 3 sizes too small and, when the ABs got a penalty, walking up and saying "Just give me the fucking ball". He was one of the most composed players on the field that day and utterly nerveless. Bless him.
I don't know if it showed on TV, but some time into the second half the cops came out and ringed the field. I thought "oh crap they think we're going to lose so they're preparing to repel a crowd invasion". Also how quiet was the crowd about half way through the second half? Around us it went eerily quiet as people thought here we go again
Was on a weekend away in N Wales with the missus on the day of the SF against France
We woke at 5:30, left at 6
Got to our house in Cardiff at 9
Was in the stadium watching it on the big screen at 9:20
Had flights to NZ on hold
Then Roland fucked it for us
Should still have beaten the Frogs despite the RC
Got back in the car and we were back in N Wales for afternoon tea
So close
@Bovidae said in Best of RWC 2011:
I do remember driving down Sandringham Rd on the afternoon of the opening game and seeing Tongan flags everywhere.
Yep. I recall walking to the stadium for the opening ceremony and my wife remarking on how many there were. Atmosphere was outstanding.
Went out the next day to see France and Japan play at North Harbour. Down to Waikato to see ABs vs Japan. Took father across to see the game against France and then wife again for the last pool game in Wellington.
The final I couldn't get tickets for, but was a nervous wreck for the second half. The joy and relief was immense.
I had organised a great pub off Grey's Inn for the morning, we had about 30 kiwis in there. South African pub manager, and he had Adnams NZ Hop Ales, plus czech lagers, and a solid breakfast.
Come the second half kickoff, a couple of guys retired to the bathroom with irritable bowel syndrome, very much provoked by stress.
With 20 minutes to go, a French family wandered in to watch, as the tension grew they fled - we were not given to violence, but there was real pressure circulating.
The win, the shock, the relief, maybe cortisol and blood glucose levels. I collapsed - we had won, we were on top of the world, everyone else could go and get fucked, 2007 erased!
@Victor-Meldrew said in Best of RWC 2011:
Mrs Meldrew has never known me to be so tense, stressed and out there. As a psychologist she was starting to worry about me...
Went thru almost a full bottle of single malt IIRC.
The day after the win was like the scene from Fever pitch. The win took me to a place of contentment that lasted for years, 24 years of heartbreak lifted when GOAT picked up that little golden trophy
@Tim said in Best of RWC 2011:
I had organised a great pub off Grey's Inn for the morning, we had about 30 kiwis in there. South African pub manager, and he had Adnams NZ Hop Ales, plus czech lagers, and a solid breakfast.
Come the second half kickoff, a couple of guys retired to the bathroom with irritable bowel syndrome, very much provoked by stress.
With 20 minutes to go, a French family wandered in to watch, as the tension grew they fled - we were not given to violence, but there was real pressure circulating.
The win, the shock, the relief, maybe cortisol and blood glucose levels. I collapsed - we had won, we were on top of the world, everyone else could go and get fucked, 2007 erased!
We were in Dublin at the time. Pub was full of kiwis…and then a drunk obnoxious Pom who came in with amount 10 minutes to go and wouldn’t shut up “you’re going to choke”. Which is what we were all secretly afraid of. Such relief at the final whistle.
(Then the Irish being Irish started the whole France woz robbed by Joubert routine.)
@canefan said in Best of RWC 2011:
@Victor-Meldrew said in Best of RWC 2011:
Mrs Meldrew has never known me to be so tense, stressed and out there. As a psychologist she was starting to worry about me...
Went thru almost a full bottle of single malt IIRC.
The day after the win was like the scene from Fever pitch. The win took me to a place of contentment that lasted for years, 24 years of heartbreak lifted when GOAT picked up that little golden trophy
I had a London based challenger bank as a client at the time. Nice people. The COO - an Irish lady - made a point of coming over and congratulating me. Classy touch
Georgia were based in the 'rapa for a week, and the support they got was immense. All the kids had free Wairarapa loves Georgia t shirts, there was a huge parade when the team arrived. They were gobsmacked, the Georgians couldn't believe it.
I went to all the Wellington pool games, Tonga beating France was amazing, the atmosphere at SA Fiji was great- then rushing to the pub then catch the Irish beating Oz. I learnt land of my fathers to sing when Wales played SA, and was right behind the posts for the penalty that never was, it fucking sent over, disgusting call.
But the final was awful, just awful
@Victor-Meldrew said in Best of RWC 2011:
@canefan said in Best of RWC 2011:
@Victor-Meldrew said in Best of RWC 2011:
Mrs Meldrew has never known me to be so tense, stressed and out there. As a psychologist she was starting to worry about me...
Went thru almost a full bottle of single malt IIRC.
The day after the win was like the scene from Fever pitch. The win took me to a place of contentment that lasted for years, 24 years of heartbreak lifted when GOAT picked up that little golden trophy
I had a London based challenger bank as a client at the time. Nice people. The COO - an Irish lady - made a point of coming over and congratulating me. Classy touch
I shook the hand of an old French guy after the final. He had a tear in his eye but it was a classy thing for him to do.
@Machpants said in Best of RWC 2011:
Georgia were based in the 'rapa for a week, and the support they got was immense. All the kids had free Wairarapa loves Georgia t shirts, there was a huge parade when the team arrived. They were gobsmacked, the Georgians couldn't believe it.
To think there was a lot of shit in the mainstream UK media about how RWC2011 would be shit as NZ rugby fans were so biased, insular and arrogant that stadiums would be empty if the ABs weren't playing.
Watching from afar, one of the great memories was the groups of spectators wearing different coloured buckets supporting the smaller teams
2011 was absolutely manic for me. Fluctuated between being confident about finally getting the monkey off our back to going for long runs to alleviate the stress of simply contemplating another 4 years of hurt.
There was however one weird, totally random sign that told me that this might finally be it. A couple of weeks before the final, the wife and I stayed at this nice spa hotel in Eastern Norway. I turned on the TV that evening and, remember this is bloody Norway, the Footrot Flats movie was on. Absurdly random. I felt that had to be a sign. Love that film btw.
My "enduring" memory is my wife and then 6 year old eldest son watching in shocked silence while I carried on like a demented idiot during the Argentina game.
Anyway, the wife was planning a weekend away with some friends and being such a lovely soul she said should could wait until after the final so that she could look after the kids while I lost my mind watching rugby. I told her not to and to keep to her plans. Murphy's law dictates that if she stayed home then we probably would lose to Aus and not even make the final. Yeah I was looking at every superstitious farking Voodoo doll advantage I could get.
So of course we made it and I had to watch the final while babysitting my youngest (then 2). Thankfully he was mostly behaved but I scared the poor bugger when yelling at the TV. Those last minutes were agony. At the final whistle I just slumped down to my knees in relief. To celebrate I took the lad to MacDonalds where I guarantee not a single person within a 50km radius even knew the game had been on. I remember picking up a newspaper that had nothing in it but shit about soccer and Ronaldo. Massive party for me!
@Catogrande said in Best of RWC 2011:
The only thing I take with any Nationalistic pride from that tournament was Manu Tuilagi getting the Auckland Ferry high diving gold.
Dwarf throwing champs?
Me and the wife took in all the AB's pool games as our big hurrah before we settled down and had kids. I didn't have the confidence to book any tickets for the knock out games though (if only for 20/20 hindsight).
Remember it being an incredible event, everyone was in such good spirts, so friendly, you'd just sit and chat with random people prior to kick off and buy each other drinks. The foreign fans offered so much color and joy - it was an atmosphere I'd never see and maybe never will see in NZ again.
Missus was ever so social so we'd befriend people at games then catch up with them at the other pool games across the country for drinks before the game, just total strangers ya know, just bought together by rugby and having a good time.
The most pleasing aspect of the pool games was how easy it was to get booze at the venues, mind you that may have been abetted by my wife being more than happy to go off to the concierge and make new friends with people while I sat in the stands with a constant supply of beer (and new friends to talk to) being delivered.
The final however was the most stressful event ever, was hoping that Donald would come on as Weepu couldn't hit a barn door with his kicking.
When we won I ran around outside the house spraying a bottle of champagne in the air, truly the best of times.
Was based in London for this WC... but decided I'd hop across to France to watch the Final. Caught the train over to... can't remember - not Paris, a relatively small town... but with a train station for the Eurostar?
Went over, started to panic when I thought I might not find a place open early in the morning to watch it... but found a likely venue.
Turned up early in the morning at this bar, they had a free breakfast spread on, welcomed me in.
We all watched it together - me getting really rather drunk sitting at the bar nervously chopping beer after beer. The locals started enjoying just watching my reaction more than the game I think... and at full-time - they all congratulated me, plenty of hands shaken and pats on the back.
I wandered off in a daze, plenty of locals seeing my All Blacks jersey and congraatulating me... had some lunch, fucked up the timing for my return train - running drunkenly through an international train station - the local gendarme/border-control saw the jersey, congratulated me, asked me which train I was on - the one leaving in about 5 minutes - and ran me through the staff corridors, completely bypassing customs/border-control/etc - to get me onto the train with about 30 seconds to spare.
Pure class - on their part, if not mine.
@Catogrande Yeah - I was looking at the map earlier. trying to figure it out... even Lille seems too big for what I remember.
It had a lovely wee plaza/town-square.
@Kruse call me a romantic, but I love every part of this story, apart from the part where the ABs won the World Cup.
@booboo said in Best of RWC 2011:
Y'know, I'd still struggle with nerves watching that.
I still haven't ever watched it on TV! No motivation to either
Watching the Final just now brought back a lot of memories. We didn't go to a single game, but what a great time we had! Second best experience of a sports event I've ever had, both watching the games in a mate's beer-filled man cave with a group of friends and the whole atmosphere in NZ during the tournament and after the Final.