Though long have our Kiwi cousins walked in the shadow of the Valley of Death, through World Cup loss after World Cup loss, as an entire people plumbed the depths of despair, now, nowthe hour is upon them. The promised land is now just up ahead around the bend…

For the All Blacks the valiant 20-6 victory over the Wallabies at Eden Park last night in the World Cup semi-finals puts them in prime position to win the William Webb Ellis trophy they have coveted, and cruelly been denied, for the past two decades. In a hard-fought game of fierce clashes mixed with some running rugby just the way mother used to make them, the All Blacks ran in a stunning try, and scored the rest in goals.

Yes, the Wallabies were themselves courageous in trying to hold back the endless black waves that kept crashing onto our golden shores – none more so than flanker David Pocock and inside centre Pat McCabe, both of whom tackled themselves red raw – but such are the verities of rugby roulette that whatever luck had come the Australians’ way last week, in their defeat of the Springboks, was denied them this week. Time and again the ball landed on black, black, black, always black – and the All Blacks back line exploded into action each time.

From the first five minutes of the game when the New Zealand full-back Israel Dagg charged down the right wing and, though felled, flicked up a miraculous pass for Ma’a Nonu to go over for a try, it was obvious that to beat the Kiwis the Australians would have to play the game of their lives. Our blokes did their sterling best and had small bursts of brilliance, but in a stadium where Wallaby supporters looked only like scattered gold dust around a big black bowl, it was not enough.

For the Wallabies their disappointment must be tempered by the fact that playing the All Blacks on New Zealand soil in a World Cup semi-final was always going to be a supremely difficult and they did us proud regardless.

And for the rest of us Australians? It’s time to change the subject, and talk about the weather, the economy, motorcycle racing where yesterday Casey Stoner became world champion and most particularly the rugby league encounter between the Kangaroos and their Kiwi counterparts yesterday this time won by the goodies, with a thumping 42-6 triumph!

And in the meantime we really can wish the All Blacks well in their final against the French next week, and hope for a great Australasian victory. The All Blacks have been far and away the best team in the world over the past four years, and fully deserve to hoist the trophy high. They will do that in a week’s time against a French side that could possibly find a spot for Stephen Bradbury on the wing, so fortunate have they been to even get into the final. Good luck to the All Blacks, and congratulations to New Zealand.

– Sydney Morning Herald