This month’s SASI contains some weird stats for that final.

An obsession with winning the World Cup caused the NZRU to lose sight of the best interests of rugby in New Zealand.

All Blacks coach Graham Henry has accepted that his controversial conditioning programme was a factor in the team’s quarter-final loss at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

Stormers’ coach Rassie Erasmus has a reputation of being one of the more intelligent coaches in the South African game. Yet there is very little evidence of his creative thinking in the play of the Stormers at the moment.

Two thoughts occur on reaching the end of former South Africa coach Jake White’s autobiography: how on earth did the Springboks manage to win The Webb Ellis Cup and how can they possibly hope to stay on top?

The chief medical consultant of the World Cup winning South African side has rubbished the science behind the now famous cryotherapy facility in Spala — visited by the Irish squad on a pre-tournament trip.

Year in Review – All Blacks: Another classic choke, referee sabotage or just a coach’s master plan gone awry – whatever way you look at it 80 lousy minutes at a seething Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on October 7 defined the All Blacks’ test season in 2007.

rugby365’s decorated and respected writer Paul Dobson tells us exactly how ugly an animal South African rugby has become, despite the glory of winning a second World Cup!

A radical proposal to play the World Cup every two years instead of four should be resisted because it threatens to damage the game’s showpiece event, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) said on Friday.

Springbok coach Jake White has told SA Rugby’s board members to immediately adopt guidelines to keep everyone happy about transformation.

New Zealand rugby has developed a remarkable ability to complicate simple issues.

He may not have delighted British royalty, but Australian referee Stuart Dickinson says he sleeps well at night and can live with his much discussed decision to deny a try to England winger Mark Cueto in the recent rugby World Cup final. [Hear, hear - say we!]

You and Victor Matfield were born in Polokwane. Did you miss parading the Webb Ellis trophy there? — Tumelo Moila, Muwaweni

The Springboks will not be visiting Xhosa King Zwelonke Sigcawu next week, their manager Zola Yeye said on Friday.

Man of the tournament: Agustin Pichot (Argentina). Statesmanlike. If only there was a Nobel prize for rugby, writes Stephen Jones for the Times.