“I never thought I’d be here again,” murmured Wayne Smith, gazing around the Eden Park press room and remembering when he last coached in a big World Cup game against France in Auckland. In 2011 the All Blacks narrowly prevailed in a men’s final that the French could have won and a similar scenario duly unfolded with his Black Ferns side on Saturday night.
If Smith felt a strong sense of deja vu, he was not alone. Assisting the Black Ferns is Sir Graham Henry, equally familiar with the pressure of World Cup finals. Alongside the pair is Mike Cron, the long-time All Blacks scrum guru, with Dan Carter also on hand to help sharpen the host nation’s kicking. Getting the old gang back together for one last job, it seems, is not solely the preserve of Hollywood movies.
