New Zealand 29-9 France
20 June, 1987 – Eden Park, Auckland
France turned up to rugby's inaugural world cup final brimming with confidence following their breathtaking, last-gasp semi-final victory over Australia the week before.
However, awaiting them was a New Zealand team that had powered into the final having brushed aside all-comers with some sublime rugby.
Initially, it was a safety-first approach adopted by the All Blacks with fly half Grant Fox spending much of the first 40 kicking for territory or at the posts.
The points-scoring machine snapped over a drop goal to give his team the lead after 14 minutes.
Three minutes later the All Black pressure told with brilliant openside flanker Michael Jones breaking the shackles for the match's first try, duly converted by Fox.
The passionate French defended with everything they had and kept their line in tact for a further two quarters, despite New Zealand dominating both territory and possession.
Pressure into points
After trailing 9-0 at the break Les Bleus, like all teams attempting to play with little ball, regularly incurred penalties and Fox made no mistake converting four of them into points.
The win was sealed for the hosts when scrum half and captain David Kirk scampered over for his team's second try on 60 minutes.
Two minutes later Kirk was at it again, bursting out of a ruck and ducking under a tackle before feeding superstar wing John Kirwan. The blonde-haired sensation, who went on to coach Italy in the 2003 and Japan at the 2007 world cups, raced away from the desperate cover to score in the corner and send the crowd into rapture.
France scrum half Pierre Berbizier, Kirwan's Italy coaching successor, scored a deserved try in the dying moments but it was not enough to stop his opposite from hoisting the golden cup aloft minutes later.
History was made and rugby finally had a world champion.
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