France is our bete noire when it comes to rugby, writes Kim Gillespie. Photo / APN
Most of us remember the high drama of that Sunday night in October 2011.
It was the final of the Rugby World Cup at Eden Park.
The All Blacks came into the match favourites, unbeaten throughout the tournament. Les Bleus, meanwhile, had gone down to New Zealand and Tonga in pool play.
On paper the outcome looked clear.
But rugby fans knew better.
France is our bete noire when it comes to rugby. Scarily unpredictable, they've often proven to be our bogey team.
(I'm still haunted by that 1999 World Cup match at Twickenham when France knocked us out in the semis. The All Blacks had gone into that match hot favourites as well.)
So, many fans were afraid to get their hopes too high.
It was well-placed caution.
The All Blacks were running out of first fives. Carter out, Slade out, Cruden out and halfback Weepu was missing kicks. The game was anyone's.
The nation's hearts were in our mouths. Many of us couldn't watch. We were sick to our stomachs with nerves.
Then on came discarded number 10 Stephen Donald.
What happened next is the stuff of legend, but I won't share it here. That would spoil the end of the upcoming movie about that momentous game.
If The Kick can capture just a smidgen of the drama, tension and emotion of that night - it will be one hell of a film.
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