OK, so there I was a green around the gills Kiwi lad in London doing the big OE while the 1999 rugby world cup was on.
The All Blacks and France were drawn to meet in a semi final match, and I was lucky (so it seemed) enough that someone at my place of work knew someone who knew someone that could get me tickets for this match.
So for 100 pounds (about $300 NZ at the time) per ticket I grabbed about 4 and was stoked. And rightly so. This was the first All Blacks game I would attend, but not only that, it was a world cup semi final and victory was guaranteed - there was no doubt who was going to win. Based on that the ticket price to see the All Blacks take France on seemed good value.
I decided to gloat in advance to my English work mates - perhaps not such a great move in hindsight.
The All Blacks France game was that weekend, and everything was set. We went to a pub near the ground first and joined what seemed like half of NZ for a pre match beer. Then off to the game, where the All Blacks had things under control.
Then France started to come back at the All Blacks . . . at first it was fine, it just seemed that France were getting a few ‘consolation’ points, and that any minute now the All Blacks would swat this annoying fly and resume normal service
I can’t remember exactly when (and I’ve never seen the match again) but that sinking feeling started. I stopped talking to my mates as the All Blacks looked to be in increasing danger. I started to think the unthinkable - that there was a chance we would not win this game.
The unthinkable soon became likely, and then proceeded to become reality. The French people in the row in front of me were having a good time.
It was a long journey home. There was a general consensus that after the loss it was better to be out of New Zealand than in it right now, based on the theory that there would be other things to think about while being overseas. This proved to be correct.
So there it was, my first test match, not a great experience but hey it’s only a game right. Right?
There was a form of redemption the following year when I saw the All Blacks beat the French in Paris.
I do remember reading about what happened to John Hart when he got back to NZ, and felt that we kinda sucked as a nation of supporters. I don’t think we are much better now.
So this weekend I’ll watch my first full match of this tournament as the All Blacks take on France again. I hope we win (that seems like such a stupid thing to say) but I, like most punters, acknowledge the fact that France can turn on a match winning performance when it’s least expected.
2 comments ↓
Mate you’re making me nervous. Not only did we lose a top coach in Hart we lost a great captain in Taine Randell who’s one of the greats.
Mate, just reading that sends tingles through my body. I agree, it was like being on a sinking ship, and a fast sinking one at that. I was going to buy a ticket to that game, but decided against it at the last minute and watched it in a pub near the ground. The second half just happened so quick, Lamaison starting to pot drop goals, those grubber kicks in behind Wilson for tries, it was agony. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a game have such a rapid turnaround, in the first half it seemed like Lomu could do no wrong and would continue to make mincemeat of the French fullback and winger in the second half. How wrong we were. The most galling part of the game and my most vivid memory is that I was watching with some girls who made the heretic call afterwards of “it’s just a game” blah blah. I obviously politely removed myself from their company and went outside to cry alone.
This weekend, no way, we are going to destroy them, I think the first 15 will see the game in the bag. We are so primed, the French are scrambling, new first five (only 21 FFS!) and a new fullback. They are not a patch on the team from 99, our average winning margin the last 6 games has been 30 points. I will be in the stadium ready to bottle the tears of the French and exorcise the demons of 99!
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