McCaw: I take my hat off to every single player

NEW ZEALAND captain Richie McCaw hailed his team’s courage and desire after they ended 24 years of hurt by winning the closest final in World Cup history.

The All Blacks had played under intense pressure for six weeks – they lost injured fly-halves Dan Carter, Aaron Cruden and Colin Slade along the way – but somehow prevailed against fired-up France.

Relief was etched deep into the faces of Richie McCaw, All Blacks supremo Graham Henry and his coaching colleagues Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith, before victory was secured by two unlikely heroes – prop Tony Woodcock and substitute Stephen Donald.