‘All Black zombies’ party after victory

New Zealand fans in Wellington celebrate winning the 2015 Rugby World Cup. (AFP)AFP/LondonWellington went into party mode yesterday as jubilant All Black fans celebrated New Zealand’s historic World Cup final win over arch-rivals Australia. Energetic despite a 5am (1600 GMT) kick-off, thousands of supporters poured out of pubs in the capital’s Courtenay Place entertainment strip after the 34-17 victory. Cars flying All Black flags tooted their horns as the good-natured crowd cheered, while strangers in All Black jerseys and scarves hugged on the sidewalk. “What a day to be alive,” Geordie Maxey said after New Zealand’s record third World Cup victory.  “It means so much to us ordinary Kiwis. It’s a testament to the great All Blacks that are retiring and I feel truly proud to be a New Zealander.” Shamoon Shamoon, the manager of the Grand Hotel, said the revelry was comparable to New Year’s Eve. “We had a full house in 15 minutes and had to close the doors... (the atmosphere) was magnificent,” he said. Due to timezone issues, the government passed special laws allowing pubs to open during the tournament, despite objections from morality groups. Prime Minister John Key, in a congratulatory message to the team, said “four million New Zealanders would have set their alarms to get up and watch the final”. The tournament’s early start took a toll on some, with Callum Cookson and Ollie Ling still wearing pancake make-up from Halloween the previous night. “We’re All Blacks zombies now... this isn’t make up—it’s our real faces,” Cookson joked.  “It was hard staying up, and when we weren’t asleep, we were nervous. We ploughed through the night and it was totally worth it, we’re winners.” ‘Rugby is what we are’ Rhythm Hartman, enjoying a celebratory kebab, struggled to express what winning back-to-back World Cups means to the rugby-mad nation. “It’s part of our culture, it’s not just a game for us, it’s a bit more than that, how can you explain it?” he said. “New Zealand always loves the ABs, especially when they bring home double World Cups.” For Emma Cossar, who dragged herself out to watch the match with a broken ankle, defeating Australia made the win even sweeter. “Rugby is what we are, it doesn’t really matter about other stuff,” she said. “Most people overseas only see New Zealand as part of Australia, so it’s pretty cool to be able to say we kicked the arse of every other rugby team in the world.” In Australia, the result evoked a mixture of disappointment and defiance, with fans taking heart from the fact that the Wallabies—largely written off before the tournament --  pushed the All Blacks all the way. Supporters ranging from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to Hollywood star Russell Crowe and golfer Greg Norman all tweeted messages telling the Wallabies to hold their heads high after an effort that had won the nation’s admiration. “Absolutely, proud of the Wallabies,” fan Simon Ansell said after watching the final in a Sydney bar. “New Zealand is an ultra-class team, I’m proud of what the Wallabies did, we’ll be back in four years’ time.”  ‘Greatest ever seen’ The atmosphere in Wellington was more tense 80 minutes earlier, amid fears the Wallabies could stage an upset. The crowd at the D4 Irish bar watched the pre-match haka in absolute silence, letting out a collective roar when it was finished. Every crunching tackle was met with applause by patrons enjoying pints of beer and fried breakfasts, with one spectator tempting fate by saying “it’s in the bag” as the All Blacks raced to a 16-3 half-time lead. But a few streets away at the Four Kings bar, tensions mounted after the restart amid a stirring Australian fightback. Smiles only began reappearing after Dan Carter’s drop goal provided a handy buffer, then the bar erupted when Beauden Barrett’s late try put the result beyond doubt. Chants of “All Blacks, All Blacks” erupted as Queen’s “We are the Champions” blared over the sound system. New Zealand Herald rugby writer Gregor Paul said it was a win that sealed the current All Blacks’ place in history. Who could mount any kind of counter viewpoint against Richie McCaw’s team being the greatest the game has ever seen?” he wrote.