Surely they can’t blow it this time?

AFTER 46 games and a weekend of semi-final action characterised by controversy, drama, incident and passion, the 2011 version of the World Cup has produced a carbon copy of what transpired here at the inaugural event 24 years ago — a final contested by New Zealand and France with Australia and Wales battling for the bronze medal.

History also repeated itself with the Welsh having a player sent off in the semi-final, even if the dismissal of Huw Griffiths against the All Blacks in 1987 had nothing like the impact of the sending off of Welsh captain Sam Warburton in Saturday’s contest.

If France sneaked to the final through the back door on Saturday night, New Zealand burst it wide open with the performance of the tournament yesterday. Their contest against Australia was played at a staggering pace and intensity. In the end it was their work rate and tenacity in the contact area that proved crucial. France will have looked on and wondered how they will be able to compete with this.