Mon Dieu! Four more years of Hurt!

I can hardly believe it! What another tight finish and a hell of a game.

Another victory for the Northern Hemishpere and yet again no World Cup for the Kiwis.

Are they the best at peaking between cups? Certainly they have been on the wane since they crushed the Lions two years ago, but they were deserved favourites before the tournament.

Did they choke? Well perhaps yes. They certainly did not have their cut and thrust in midfield, where they have never adequately replaced Umaga, and when the game was at its tightest, who were their half backs? Leonard and Evans, not exactly the most experienced pair to call upon in a crisis.

But surely this is a night for celebration. France defended magnificently. After their second try, they defended 28 phases of possession and then won a turnover. A huge fillip for them and their ENGLISH defence coach. NZ had 70% of the possession and lost!

And the Frog bench won it for them too. In Harryordinary, Le Gyppo and the Gay Blade Michalak, France had match winners to lift them in the second half. The last try in particular was a belter.

So its the old enmity next week in Paris. England v France. Can't wait. England will once again be the underdogs, but will fancy their chances against a team who they made look pretty ordinary in March and should have beaten in August. France are back to being favourites at home - can they handle it? We shall see.

Bu perhaps sweetest of all, all the one-eyed crowing from the Land of the Long White Sheep has been found to be premature. Is there a Kiwi who still has his World Cup Winners T shirt? Does it still fit? Is it still black? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha .............