Sideline Sid Sports correspondant & historian www.sunlive.co.nz

It seems an eternity since the Rugby World Cup started – just over five weeks ago.

We are now down to the RWC title decider, where the team in black will have no better opportunity to win the William Webb Ellis trophy for just the second time – and join our friends from across the ditch and Seth Efrica as two time winners of the biggest prize in world rugby.

The real joy of the RWC (and sport in general) is that all the expert opinion and media conjecture count for nothing, when two teams walk out of the tunnel onto the stadiums of the country in combat.

The two semi-finals provided completely contrasting encounters.

The French, who had smoked England just a week previously, were expected to play with flair and Gallic passion against Wales.

While Wales, which had stability and structure in all their RWC matches, seemed to have all the ammunition to counter the French flamboyance.

The game never threatened to burst out of mediocrity with the French content to build a narrow lead and then defend to the death.

To the Welsh credit they attempted to play an expansive game at times, but mistakes and brutal French defence relegated Wales to the dreaded bronze medal playoff.

If the first semi-final was boring and dull, the All Blacks clash with the Wallabies was excitement personified.

Few match-ups between the two neighbours, have created some much feeling and passion, especially in the Stadium of Four Million.

They came in there thousands to create a modern era crowd record at Eden Park – and left in joy and jubilation if they were All Black supporters, and in tears and despair if the followed the other mob.

Since the All Black first Test against Australia in 1903, every single game between the team in Black and the team in Gold, manages to generate every thing from anticipation, to jubilation and angst.

Sunday night lived up to all the hype (and some).

In a sport where physical domination wins games, the All Blacks simply out muscled the Aussies from the first kick-off.

From the singing of the National Anthem with passion to the spine tingling haka – the All Blacks had arrived to play.

While it is an old cliché that that talks about 'laying in on the line for your country” the players in Black at Eden Park on Sunday night did it in spades.

Never has so much blood be given, as the All Blacks went on a rampage.

While it was hard to single out an individual player, for mine Brad Thorn epitomised what it means to be an All Black warrior.

Can the All Blacks win the 2011 Rugby World Cup?

Without a doubt – however it is not a given, and the All Blacks will need to play with the same structure and game plan that they showed last Sunday evening.

What are the keys to victory – structure and a game plan, plus outstanding defence when the French throw the kitchen sink at us.

What are likely to be the All Black keys to victory – an outstanding performance from the forward pack and perfect goal kicking.

P.S. Who is going to win the playoff for third place – who cares?

Go the All Blacks