What a heartstopper. What a win. Never doubted it for a second.
And now as we bid goodbye to the Rugby World Cup for 2011, it’s time to dish out awards to those behind some of the event’s more memorable (Queenstown) moments.
Clive Geddes Award for best public speaking gaffe: Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll – he told hundreds of people who turned out at Queenstown Airport to welcome the Irish team how great it was to arrive in “Queensland” before quickly correcting himself.
Yoda Wisdom Award for best response to a stupid question: Ex-Queenstowner turned All Blacks manager Darren Shand – when asked if he’d bring the All Blacks to the resort for some R&R during the tournament, Shandy told Mountain Scene: “No chance – we don’t find holiday resorts have worked too well for us in terms of preparation in the past. For a camp outside the rugby season, fantastic, but otherwise, there’s too many distractions. Only time will tell if it’s the right move or not.” It was – just ask Ireland and England.
Julian Assange Wikileaks Award for showing commitment to freedom of information: Queenstown bouncer Jonathan Dixon – who uploaded to YouTube CCTV footage from Altitude bar of married English rugby star Mike Tindall cavorting with a then-mystery blonde.
Hugh Hefner Award for best live and let live moment: Mike Tindall, hubby to royal Zara Phillips – his World Cup will be best remembered for his hard-partying night out in Altitude bar with team-mates, dwarfs and his old flame Jessica Palmer. Which then carried on in Cowboys a bit later.
Leonardo da Vinci Award for making a mark: The Irish player who somehow punched a hole in the roof of Ballarat Trading Co bar during a team night out. Their booze and food bill was $3000 – probably explains it.
Gaddafi Award for Popularity: Take another bow, Jonathan Dixon – who admitted: “More people like Gaddafi than like me – that’s what I heard.”
Tony Everitt Award for best Queenstown accolade: Top Irish rugby commentator Michael Corcoran - who’s travelled extensively and said he’d never been to a place like Queenstown. “You know how you go to a concert and the band says this is our favourite place. Well, I can tell you I’m not going to say the same thing next week when I go to New Plymouth.”
Graham Budd Award for second-best Queenstown accolade: Irish Independent writer Hugh Farrelly – who wrote: “Queenstown is almost too perfect ... as you stroll around the quaint, pedestrianised streets full of enticing cafes, restaurants, shops and bars, there is a distinct ‘Truman Show’ feel to it all ... as though the minute you turn a corner, the local ‘extras’ switch off and light up a cigarette waiting for the next scene.”
Frank Sinatra Award for most regrettable moment: Queenstown bouncer Jonathan Dixon, who spliced bizarre excerpts of himself doing a moralistic monologue into the YouTube footage of Tindall. Dixon later admitted that if he had his time again: “I wouldn’t have been so scary in the video.”
Alfred Hitchcock Award for best cameo: Stephen Donald – cometh the hour, cometh the Waikato whitebaiter.
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