Aussies laughed at All Blacks
October 29, 2001

Former Wallaby coach Rod Macqueen has revealed that the Australian team "laughed" at their New Zealand counterparts during the All Blacks shock loss to France in the World Cup semi-finals in 1999.

Australia's most successful coach of all time told of Australia's reaction to New Zealand's loss in his just released book about his time in charge of the Wallabies.

In his book, "One step ahead - On the field and in the Boardroom" Macqueen explains that the Australians were in a state of shock as New Zealand wilted in the second half of that memorable match against France.

He said the Australians were gathered in their hotel meeting room to watch the match and did not even contemplate an All Blacks loss.

"Not one person in the room had any doubt the All Blacks would win the game and meet them in the final," the book says.

In fact after defeating South Africa, Macqueen had already started reviewing his video analysis of the New Zealand side.

In the second half the structured play of the All Blacks had virtually disintegrated and the French were "now scoring adventurous tries from all parts of the field".

"The Wallabies were laughing, now almost in disbelief. Then the game ended. There was deathly silence."

Macqueen said none of the Australians had expected the All Blacks to lose.

"Now the realisation had started to sink in that we were about to embark into unusual territory.

"We had been so single-minded in our preparation that we had not even considered the fact the French would beat the All Blacks and get through to the final. The comfortable feeling was now gone."

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