Donal Lenihan: South Africa's magnificent feat can't halt our World Cup dream 

What South Africa have reminded everyone over the course of the last two months is that it requires a super human effort, coupled with a bit of good fortune, to win a World Cup. That doesn’t mean we should stop dreaming.

MOMENTOUS OCCASION: South Africa's Siya Kolisi holds the Webb Ellis trophy as fans welcome South Africa's Springbok team during their arrival at O.R Tambo's international airport in Johannesburg. Pic: AP Photo/Themba Hadebe

So, after seven weeks of unrelenting toil, some truly memorable encounters coupled with a few that won’t last long in the memory bank, not least the semi final between New Zealand and Argentina, we end up back where we started. 

South Africa are World Cup champions.