Rugby World Cup
All Blacks ride unshakable self-belief into Rugby World Cup final
Tom Hamilton
October 24, 2015
South Africa 18-20 New Zealand (Australia only)

TWICKENHAM -- The beers are on Steve Hansen. This was sheer willpower and self-belief on an unparalleled scale. The All Blacks were ill-disciplined but muscle memory and complete faith in their system saw them book their place in the Rugby World Cup final, handing them a chance to banish the notion they can't win the tournament away from their own familiar shores.

So foul and fair a day the All Blacks have not seen. As the rain teemed down at half-time with New Zealand five points and a man adrift, there was a sense in Twickenham that pathetic fallacy was kicking in and the rugby gods had transpired against the Kiwis. Their discipline in the first-half was far too ragged but then came the tightening of the screw as New Zealand righted their wrongs and arm-wrestled themselves over the line. That New Zealand only missed two tackles and had to make half of what South Africa did is a telling statistic.

This win took kahunas and steely-eyed focus. The Kiwis have not fared well on foreign soil in World Cups but just when it looked like they may have to live with yet another opportunity escaping their grasp, the old double act of Dan Carter and Richie McCaw got a foothold in the game. Carter's 46-minute drop-goal to make the score a two-point match was the time the tide shifted in the All Blacks' favour. Bryan Habana's yellow card in the same play that led to Beauden Barrett's try increased the flow to an insurmountable surge.

Dan Carter kicked a key drop goal early in the second half© David Rogers/Getty Images

For McCaw and Carter, the fairytale ending to their All Blacks careers continues for another week. Nothing but ultimate success will quench their thirst. But even they may have wondered exactly what was going wrong as they saw penalty after penalty handed South Africa's way. While they fell foul of referee Jerome Garces' ire on 13 occasions, they got the benefit of the doubt when it mattered with McCaw's pass for Jerome Kaino's try ruled flat.

New Zealand edge into World Cup final
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South Africa played the first-half role of underdogs perfectly. They allowed the All Blacks to attack, kept their structure, countered through their pacey centres and allowed Handre Pollard to dictate the tempo, though his kicking out of hand was wayward. In turn the Kiwis got uncharacteristically frustrated, with Jerome Kaino's yellow card at the close of the first half a sign of their uneasiness, and South Africa -- who had less possession and territory -- knocked over the points offered as the All Blacks conceded nine penalties in the first 40 minutes.

But then came half-time and in the opening stages of the second half, the All Blacks had their strut back. In turn South Africa's lack of a Plan B was exposed. They were reluctant to go wide and New Zealand matched fire with fire in the gainline battle, South Africa failed to get any go-forward and barely took a step in the Kiwi 22. JP Pietersen and Habana were mere spectators on the wing when it came to attacking play.

It was a similar case in the New Zealand ranks. For all the free-flowing brilliance of the Kiwis last weekend, Julian Savea was nullified by the Boks and it took Ma'a Nonu's wonderful ability to pick the pass at the right time to unlock them for what proved to be the match-winning score through Barrett.

Richie McCaw orovided excellent leadership© Martin Bureau/AFP/Getty Images

Though South Africa edged the battle in the sky, Ben Smith was New Zealand's top performer of the piano players in the back three. He is magnificent in open play and also in the close quarters of the game.

As New Zealand closed it out, South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer looked to the sky, perhaps in exasperation or in hope for some divine intervention. But he cannot fault his team's effort; they were titanic with Fourie du Preez's inflamed cheekbone showing the toil of this defeat.

But it is the All Blacks who march on. They didn't rip South Africa's head off but they managed to keep theirs when it mattered.

After their opening win over Argentina, McCaw said to the Argentina skipper they'd see each other again in the final. As one of the greats of rugby, he may yet be the game's first soothsayer. They could yet meet again upon the heath. Will it be in thunder, lightning or rain? Even he can't call that.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Tom Hamilton is the Associate Editor of ESPNscrum.

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