World Cup winning captain reflects on All Blacks’ intense rivalry with France
Having walked up into the stands at Auckland’s Eden Park in 1987, All Blacks captain David Kirk awaited a moment that will echo throughout rugby history forever.
Captain Kirk scored one of the All Blacks’ three tries as they ran away with a convincing 29-9 victory over France in the first-ever Rugby World Cup final.
Playing in front of more than 48,000 vibrant supporters at Auckland’s Eden Park, New Zealand proved that they were “the best in the world.”
Kirk shook the hand of IRB chairman Albert Ferrasse as the halfback was handed the sought-after trophy. Then, with a grin on his face, Kirk became the first captain to lift the Webb Ellis Cup.
At that moment – as the entire country of New Zealand began to celebrate the victory – the greatest Rugby World Cup rivalry in history was born.
The All Blacks were the champions, while France had fallen agonisingly short of the sport’s ultimate prize.
Including that famous final, the two proud rugby nations have seven times in Rugby World Cup history. France were beaten by New Zealand at Eden Park in the 2011 final as well.
“It’s huge and it’s partly because of its history, and the history is that we’ve won more games than they have, and we’ve won three World Cup finals and they’ve been in three and lost them all,” Kirk told RugbyPass.
“It’s different when you get to the World Cup final. We’ve got a significantly better record than they have and overall, over a long period of time, we’ve certainly won more games.
“But every French team seems to have the ability to beat every All Black team on the day, which you couldn’t say for a lot of other countries.
“We’ve always been very wary of the French and very respectful and very knowledgeable about their capabilities.”
New Zealand and France will write another chapter into the history books of their rivalry on Friday when they meet in the opening Test of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Les Bleus have fallen short of World Cup glory in the decider on three occasions, including the 1987 and 2011 match-ups with the Kiwis. They were also beaten by Australia in ’99.
But this year could be something special for the French, or at least that’s the expectation and belief of many rugby fans around the world.
France has been “the best team” in the world for quite some time, and they’re favoured to break their World Cup finals drought in front of their home fans next month.
“This World Cup is even more challenging. I think the French team that is playing here, I think it’s fair to say, I would certainly say this is the best French team since the team we played against,” Kirk added.
“1987 was a wonderful team. Names like Serge Blanco and Philippe Sella and others, so very well-known players.
“But this team is also outstanding. But the first match of the tournament and the first All Blacks match against France, it’s sort of crucial and it isn’t.
“It’s crucial for confidence, momentum and continuing to build team tactics and learn from what’s happening… which is always really important in a World Cup so I hope the All Blacks win and I hope it’s the beginning of a process of building on every previous game.
“But if they don’t win, it actually doesn’t make that much difference to their opportunities to get to the final because whatever happens, France and New Zealand are going to play one of South Africa and Ireland.
“In the quarterfinals, those four teams match up, and those are the four best teams in the world. So it doesn’t really matter who they play, if we play South Africa or Ireland, we’ve got to beat them.
“But everyone likes bragging rights, everyone likes the confidence in yourself and the ability to go all the way. I’m very much hoping New Zealand wins but I think it’s gonna be very tough.
“I think France is probably the best team in the tournament coming into the tournament on form so we’ll see what happens.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Yes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
34 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to comments