But he and wife Shirley clutched their AB flags and "kept offering plenty of advice" and cheered the boys home.
"Two silly old buggers jumping up and down," was how he described the final stages.
"They are undoubtedly the best side in the world and it was a great send-off for those guys," he said of players like Richie McCaw and Dan Carter.
He paid special tribute to McCaw for not wanting to make any after-match comment about possibly retiring.
"Because that would have taken the focus off the rest of the team - he wanted them all to be in the limelight for that special moment."
Tuki Tuki MP Craig Foss said the game was pretty much a building-shaker.
He organised a special "stadium" to view it - in a woolshed on a property at Aramoana in Central Hawke's Bay where about 70 keen All Black fans took up their positions on bean bags, temporary couches and a special "Scotsman" stand of wooden planking.
"Oh, the woolshed was rocking," he said.
"We had some champagne but we also had some tissues hidden away ... just in case."
He said he had been nervous from the start but never doubted the All Blacks, although he conceded that he and many of his fellow supporters had "everything clenched" when it started getting tight during the second half.
Of players like Richie McCaw and Dan Carter he simply said "what can you say?"
The pair were heroes in what he called a "game of legends".
"Great day to be a Kiwi," Mr Foss said.
Napier MP Stuart Nash said he shared the second half "uh oh" moment but before the halftime break he was relaxed as he watched it with family.
"And then it got to within four points - I just thought 'oh dear".
But he said the Australians had been playing catch-up rugby all the way and he recognised the usual stoicism of the All Blacks coming through.
"Could anyone have asked to see anything better than that ... it was fantastic to watch it unfold and great for New Zealand."
How did he rate the AB's chance of perhaps making it a trifecta of world titles when they front up in Japan for the 2019 Rugby World Cup?
"Well if they keep improving the way they are then yes, they can," he said.
"It's about constantly innovating and they have done that but hey, let's leave that for now and just celebrate this one first."
Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule made a point many would agree with.
"You never write off the Australians," he said.
"We had that first half and then Nonu scored - but then they came back and it was down to just four points and I thought 'okay, here we go'."
But his confidence was buoyed by what he said was an impressive All Blacks "package", on and off the field.
"They have been so relaxed and so professional and can we make it three in a row? - never say never, because we are the complete package."
He described the final simply as "a classic".
For Central Hawke's Bay Mayor Peter Butler it was yet another of those games where he found himself abandoning the comfort of his chair.
As he watched with wife Jeanette he found himself standing up when things got tense.
"Two or three times - I've always got wrapped up in games like that."
When the Wallabies cut the lead back he spent more time than usual on his feet, but was back in the chair when Dan Carter put over a stunning drop goal to extend the lead.
"And Richie McCaw - he was all over the paddock - he has to accept a knighthood."
At the final whistle there was a moment of celebration and a toast to the champions, although it was not bubbly at that time of the day.
"No, another coffee," he said.
"We had a few during that one."
Craig Little also had a quiet coffee to celebrate afterwards as he had work to get on with on the farm later in the day.
The Wairoa mayor said there were times when stress began to emerge, especially after Ben Smith was sent to the sideline for 10 minutes and the Australians started lifting the tempo.
"You can never underestimate the Aussies," he said.
"I lived there for six years so I know them pretty well."
But he said the All Blacks, across the team and the full management crew, seemed more stable and focused now.
"They work so well as a team and I think we are past the choking stage."
Mr Little said there was no reason the ABs could not make it three in a row in four years.
Ikaroa Rawhiti MP Meka Whaitiri watched the big game with her whanau in Whakatu and said she never had any doubts about the outcome, despite the early second-half Australian surge.
"Good on the Australians but this was our game," she said.
"The All Blacks have set a benchmark for all World Cup teams - they had so much good preparation, they were not overawed and they looked a little more relaxed about it all."
She said if she had any doubts at all it was about the futures of Richie McCaw and Dan Carter.
"They're not ready to retire - they had massive games and to see Dan firing up the troops was so special."
