Auckland: The difference in mood is remarkable. Last week the city was full of zombies: middle-aged men in All Blacks replica jerseys, staring fixedly ahead as they walked but saw nothing. One convincing semi-final victory over Australia later and the haunted expressions have vanished. New Zealanders seem more relaxed than they have in ages, quietly confident World Cup salvation is now within reach.
Even Graham Henry sounds as content as anyone personally responsible for 4.4 million people's dreams can be. And why not? The master coach knows his team could not have played much better against the Wallabies and now face a France side who have reached the final almost by default. The All Blacks' quest to lift the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time since 1987 is all but complete.
If — or rather when — it happens, the talk will be of banishing the ghosts of 2007, which have swirled around Henry's squad ever since they lost to the French in the quarter-final at Cardiff four years ago. The bad news for Les Bleus is that Henry completed his ghost-busting a while ago. The 65-year-old even kicked off the biggest week of his life by mentioning ‘24 years' on two separate occasions. Rather than choking on self-inflicted tension, Henry's All Blacks are being invited to maximise a fabulous opportunity.
Fascinating psychology
The psychology of it all is fascinating. Some think Henry is artfully rewriting history by claiming the All Blacks are changed men from last time round when, in fact, little has altered. The management insist the squad were so wrapped up in day-to-day minutiae in 2007 that they lost sight of the bigger picture and struggled to react when things began to go wrong. Having transformed a fear of failure into something more positive, there is far greater composure this time. That, at least, is the message Henry is preaching and, increasingly, it appears a self-fulfilling prophecy.
The next step, in Henry's mind, is to put it to one side and start afresh, rather than allowing complacency to take root.
Last but by no means least, the final will be refereed by Craig Joubert, the same official who presided over the Wallabies match. This is clearly to Henry's liking. Add it all together and even Robbie Deans, Henry's old adversary, sees only one winner. "What the All Blacks side have is a group that have suffered on many occasions. This is their third attempt and they've got that burning desire, that fire in the belly, for that reason. And they've also got that mental resilience. I can't see anyone stopping the All Blacks now."
— Guardian News & Media Ltd
