Auckland, Oct 23 (IANS): New Zealand's All Blacks pulled off a historic 8-7 victory over France Sunday to take the Rugby World Cup for the first time in 24 years.
For the home team it was undoubtedly the biggest game of their lives -- a chance to hold aloft the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time since they last held it after the very first Rugby World Cup final against France in 1987.
The French had derailed New Zealand's championship dreams twice before in 1999 and 2007 -- and they came within one point of thwarting the All Blacks' ambitions again on Sunday.
Nerves were showing on the pitch in the first half at Auckland's Eden Park and the All Blacks' Piri Weepu missed opportunities for eight points, sending two penalties and a conversion wide of the posts, Xinhua reported.
The French put on a determined face from the start, lining up in a V-formation and marching forward as the All Blacks performed their traditional pre-match haka.
But Les Bleus conceded the first penalty for being offside at a ruck in the sixth minute, leaving Weepu to miss the first of his kicks.
The crunching tackles that marked the match claimed their first casualty after 11 minutes when French fly half Morgan Parra left the field shaking his head and bloodied after a double blow from Ma'a Nonu and Richie McCaw, to be replaced by Francois Trinh-Duc.
The home team opened the scoring four minutes later when prop Tony Woodcock snaffled the ball from a lineout within the French 22-meter line and charged through their defence to touch down.
However, Weep was wide again with the conversion.
Parra, who had returned to the pitch after six minutes on the sidelines, suffered another battering shortly after and came off for the rest of the match, visibly upset, as Trinh-Duc took his place.
France, under pressure, incurred another penalty after 25 minutes, but Weepu again failed to find his target.
The All Blacks continued a running onslaught on the French line, failing to make any breakthroughs until wing Richard Kahui kicked through after 30 minutes, but the follow-up was too slow and French center Aurelien Rougerie dived on the ball.
Aaron Cruden -- New Zealand's third choice fly half after injuries claimed Dan Carter and then Colin Slade -- was escorted off the pitch with a knee injury to be replaced by Stephen Donald.
France attempted to grab some points when Trinh-Duc went for a long-distance drop goal on 36 minutes, but it veered wide of the post.
Trinh-Duc again showed his dangerous side, snatching the ball and running to the All Black line to be brought down by Weepu getting a hand to his ankles, leaving the score at 5-0.
France almost got on the board two minutes into the second half, when New Zealand captain McCaw incurred a penalty by putting his hands in the ruck, but French scrum half Dmitri Yachvili put the ball wide.
Donald was kicking for the All Blacks when New Zealand won a penalty in front of the posts two minutes later, putting the home side 8-0 up.
Trinh-Duc, who had been menacing the All Blacks' line, finally broke through allowing the French to batter at the All Blacks' defense until captain Thierry Dusautoir eventually pressed it over the line.
Trinh-Duc's conversion put the score at 8-7 and within one more score of victory.
With the pressure mounting, New Zealand coach Graham Henry sent in fresh blood, taking off Weepu for Andy Ellis, replacing hooker Keven Mealamu with Andrew Hore, and Sam Whitelock with Ali Williams in the second row.
The French stepped up the pressure with 15 minutes on the clock and eventually found a chance to snatch victory from a penalty from 48 meters, but Trinh-Duc's kick was wide of the posts.
The All Blacks withstood the French until the final whistle.
For New Zealand it was the culmination of years of preparation and anticipation for a tournament that has kept much of the country rapt for the last 40 days.