New Zealand wrapped up their exceptional year of rugby by adding a Grand Slam tour of Britain and Ireland to a Tri-Nations clean sweep, doubtless sending some All Blacks fans into hiding, one year from the World Cup they will host.
The All Blacks won 13 of their 14 matches played over the calendar year, but previous pre-World Cup streaks of good form have often been a precursor to the national team crashing out early in the sport’s quadrennial showpiece event.
Either way, Graham Henry’s squad positively purred through the season, scoring 184 points in their unbeaten Tri-Nations campaign over Australia and South Africa.
The team, captained by flank Richie McCaw – who was awarded the IRB player of the year award for an unprecedented third time – then dispatched England (26-16), Scotland (49-3), Ireland (38-18) and Wales (37-25) on back-to-back weekends in November.
It was New Zealand’s fourth Grand Slam overall and third in five years following the 2005 and 2008 clean sweep of the ‘Home Nations’.
In the process, flyhalf Dan Carter became international rugby union’s leading points scorer, a 12-point tally against Wales taking him to a career haul of 1 188 points, 10 better than the previous record held by Jonny Wilkinson for England and the British and Irish Lions.
“I think we’re in pretty good shape,” Henry said after the final Wales victory.
“It’s just how we handle next year and each Test match as it comes along.”
Australia, the only team to beat New Zealand – 26-24 in the Bledisloe Cup in Hong Kong, finished the year in second place in the IRB rankings after pulling off perhaps the performance of the year: a 59-16 victory over France.
South Africa’s 21-11 win over England ensured the southern hemisphere continued to occupy the top three positions.
For all of France’s frailities in their November internationals, Les Bleus claimed the Six Nations Grand Slam for the first time since 2004.
Marc Lievremont’s men exploited brilliantly the many weaknesses of their respective opponents, sealed with a hard fought 12-10 win over arch-foes England.
French success in the Six Nations was mirrored in the European Cup, Toulouse beating Biarritz 21-19 in the final for a record fourth title in the 15 years since the continent’s showpiece club tournament was launched.
Toulouse had previously won in 1996, 2003 and 2005 and were twice losing finalists (2004, 2008).
The second-tier Challenge Cup went to the Cardiff Blues who beat Toulon in Marseille’s Stade Velodrome to become the first Welsh side to win a European title.
The Bulls were victorious in the Super 14 for a third time in four years, Victor Matfield’s team running out 25-17 winners over the Stormers.
The match drew headlines after it was staged with great success at Orlando Stadium in South Africa’s biggest black township.
The Durban-based Sharks won South Africa’s Currie Cup, playmaker Patrick Lambie notching up 25 points to help beat Western Province 30-10 in the final.
In New Zealand, Canterbury beat Waikato 33-13 to claim the ITM Cup and also retained the Ranfurly Shield against Counties-Manukau after winning it off Southland.
Samoa claimed victory in the IRB Sevens World Series, notching up 164 points, 15 ahead of New Zealand, with surprise package Australia in third and Fiji fourth