Stuart should take full responsibility, heres why
Over the course of the tournament, In attacking raids, Australia ran two decoys across the backline in scoring many of their tries. Players were nice and deep, pass, decoy, pass, decoy, and overlap eventuates, onto the outside centre/winger for a try. Worked a treat against the kiwis first up, the hapless poms and PNG.
Kearney/Bennett can thank their lucky stars that Ricky "genius" Stuart kept up that plan as their main attacking weapon like an open book in the final. NZ trained for it. Kearney and Bennett exploited what they knew was coming, so many times kiwi's defence rushed up on the guy getting the ball as oppossed to the once well thought out decoys. There were the expected overlaps, but before the ball got the anticipated player, the ball carrier was creamed. Stuarts A1 game plan was being shut down. Frustration and urgency was setting in
When the kiwis were shutting this down, Australia pannicked, and many of their "superstars" tried to win the game by themselves, they didnt have an A2 game plan whatsover, they panicked and errors eventuated.
They were ambushed by a committed and well coached side on the night that knew what they were going to do...exactly. Something Stuart wasnt expecting. Call it arrogence, call it poor preparation.
Also Australias bench lacked size and form. This is partly cause of Steve Prices injury, but a lack of planning by Stuart and an infacutation by "rewarding mates" like toupou and fitzgibbon were his fault, no one elses. We could get away with a light and out of form bench vs poms and PNG, but not against a large kiwi side. Glen stewart was often seen taking the ball up from tap kicks, master stroke. Again call it arrogence or poor coaching
Both sets of players has the passion and desire to win but overall it was great coaching and team selection by the kiwis, poor coaching and team selection by Stuart. It was that simple
NZ well deserved world cup champions.