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What Was It Like In NZ In 2008 ?

Eric F

Juniors
Messages
25
When you won the World Cup that is ? The Kiwis were World Champions and the All Blacks weren't. Did that generate a great deal of enthusiasm for RL ?
 

Penrose Warrior

First Grade
Messages
8,603
2008 was the most enjoyable year of league ever. I have massively fond memories of that year. I went to every Warriors home game in a work capacity and it was just consistently great fun. The memories of those games like the 8-6 win over Melbourne in the pissing rain at home, obviously the final at Olympic Park (I ran home nude on a bet if we won), sitting in the media box for the Roosters home final and listening to the Aussie media yapping initially then going dead quiet by the end, and obviously the disappointment of the Manly game.

The World Cup obviously added to that, with the 'holy shit we're going to win' feeling after Slater biffed it inside from the sideline.

Did it generate enthusiasm for RL? Bloody oath it did. League was riding massively high, then Sonny Fai died in early 2009 and it cast a shadow across the Warriors for a time.
 

Eric F

Juniors
Messages
25
Even though it had already been chosen, I thought it would have been great if the 2013 WC had been staged entirely in NZ using Auckland, Wellington, and maybe New Plymouth and Napier on the North Island and Christchurch, Dunedin, and maybe Invercargill on the South.
 

Blair

Coach
Messages
10,086
2008 was the most enjoyable year of league ever. I have massively fond memories of that year. I went to every Warriors home game in a work capacity and it was just consistently great fun. The memories of those games like the 8-6 win over Melbourne in the pissing rain at home, obviously the final at Olympic Park (I ran home nude on a bet if we won), sitting in the media box for the Roosters home final...
Aidan Kirk, you couldn't find a more unfancied player to provide the thrilling climax to a memorable season.

Up 24-13, with plenty of time, and the Roosters looking to go back-to-back with two, late converted tries, stunning that great home-crowd.

Then, whoosh...!
 

Penrose Warrior

First Grade
Messages
8,603
Aidan Kirk, you couldn't find a more unfancied player to provide the thrilling climax to a memorable season.

Up 24-13, with plenty of time, and the Roosters looking to go back-to-back with two, late converted tries, stunning that great home-crowd.

Then, whoosh...!
Aidan Kirk was a gun. Massively underrated, but played a vital role at the back-end of that year.

The Hohaia penalty try was a massive turning point. The Aussies in the media box were absolutely blowing up, that made it even better.

Just such an incredibly good vibe at Mt Smart that night, even better than the 2011 RWC final (lucky enough to have been at both).
 

Matua

Bench
Messages
4,530
To answer the OPs question I don't think it moved the interest dial that much as most rugby fans were also league fans anyway.
 

Blair

Coach
Messages
10,086
Just such an incredibly good vibe at Mt Smart that night, even better than the 2011 RWC final (lucky enough to have been at both).
I always thought the 2011 RWC final win was more a sense of collective (and palpable) relief! Twenty four years, and a game the French could've easily won at the death.
 

Penrose Warrior

First Grade
Messages
8,603
I always thought the 2011 RWC final win was more a sense of collective (and palpable) relief! Twenty four years, and a game the French could've easily won at the death.
Oh massive relief, I vividly remember the silence and teeth-gnashing in the last 20 or so minutes - especially after France scored. Most of the country had locked in a comfortable win when France made the final. Maybe that's why the Warriors one felt like adrenaline and the RWC felt like 'thank f**k that's over'
 

Blair

Coach
Messages
10,086
Oh massive relief, I vividly remember the silence and teeth-gnashing in the last 20 or so minutes - especially after France scored. Most of the country had locked in a comfortable win when France made the final. Maybe that's why the Warriors one felt like adrenaline and the RWC felt like 'thank f**k that's over'
I've never seen the RWC final, so let me re-live those last twenty minutes some time this weekend...and sure in the fact we ended that 24-year drought.

I watched the 2015 final, which seemed like a sweet celebration! It was.
 

Penrose Warrior

First Grade
Messages
8,603
I've never seen the RWC final, so let me re-live those last twenty minutes some time this weekend...and sure in the fact we ended that 24-year drought.

I watched the 2015 final, which seemed like a sweet celebration! It was.
Pretty low quality game, definitely an NZ side that tensed up on the occasion but were just good enough to hold on. Remembering that we scored really early on through an epic lineout move, then apart from Beaver's (very, VERY shaky) penalty we never looked like scoring again.
 
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