At the end they were the smiling giants. All around Twickenham, into Richmond and on to London the Kiwis laughed late into the night but everyone else was far from home and just wanted to be there.
There’s a feeling of emptiness a person can feel after achieving, or in this case repeating, greatness. Because they know the journey is over. And this epic four year odyssey is now finished.
“I understand what you are saying,” said Richie McCaw when it’s put to the New Zealand captain that the happiness which comes with victory passes after a few seconds.
“We’re going to stay at the ground a wee bit longer. But as Steve (Hansen) said, you got to enjoy these moments. This tournament has been hard at times, when the pressure comes on, to actually enjoy what you do.
“Sometimes we think the happy part is the end goal but it’s doing the work along the way that you really enjoy. If you achieve it you can sit back and smile. That’s one thing, personally, I have really tried to do in the seven weeks we’ve been there. Enjoy it.
“I feel pretty warm inside and proud of the men I’ve been into battle with and experienced so much stuff over the years so for a couple of nights before we go home I am going to enjoy their company.”
Because it’s over.
Michael Cheika had just left the media conference centre. He looked shattered. What was so admirable about the Australians was their refusal to go quietly even when pulverised by the greatest collective force to ever grace a rugby pitch.
When asked about the tournament Cheika threw a jab out at World Cup.
“We were disappointed tonight because we wanted to sing the national anthem with our team, the coaches, but World Rugby wouldn’t let us.
“But that’s the way it is.”
And what of that photo revealing the Australia game plan? “It’s not like there was any super tactics in there. It was a little bit disingenuous. It was nothing to cry about. I’ll cancel my subscription to The Daily Mail. I don’t know if I even have one to be honest. I’m sure my wife has.”
Cheika, we know, hates losing. He hated losing to Munster so he fixed that. He hates losing to New Zealand and intends to sort that next.
“We clawed our way back into the contest and changed the momentum of the game at 21-17. Even when we got seven points behind we could have brought it to extra time, we were right back in the hunt.
“We could have easily gone home then. We could be happy, we had a good campaign, we’re sweet, but the heart, the courage in this team will last us going forward.
“They stayed in the battle to the end.”
This is not the end of Cheika’s Wallabies. It is only the beginning.
“We got to keep growing. I said to the guys don’t be counting down lads - this is just the start, this is just beginning. We want to really good things for Australian rugby going forward.”
But it is the end for McCaw’s All Blacks, for Dan Carter’s All Blacks and Ma’a Nonu too. A wondrous 14 years that started at Lansdowne Road and ends in technically phenomenal and heroic performances from these masters of their craft.
“I don’t think you can ever have enough of it,” said McCaw.
