South Africa v New Zealand was set up as a clash of the titans in the Rugby World Cup final and it most certainly delivered, with the game being decided by the slimmest of margins.
The decider in Paris last Saturday was decided by just one point, with Handre Pollard's expertise from the kicking tee ultimately proving decisive for the Boks.
It was perhaps more a gripping affair than one rife with excitement, as a low-scoring affair rife with tension played out at the Stade de France.
Much of the debate since the game has centred on the contentious refereeing decisions at hand, with All Blacks captain Sam Cane sent off after a first-half bunker review, and debate surrounding the award of the penalty from Handre Pollard which proved to be the difference.
However, the All Blacks still had their chances to win the game, and ex-Springbok and Munster man Jean de Villiers enjoyed a cheeky dig at one of those missed opportunities while analysing his country's World Cup win.
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South Africa v New Zealand: Jean de Villiers enjoys sly joke on All Blacks error in World Cup final
South Africa lift the Webb Ellis Cup after their victory over New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup final (Photo: World Rugby)
The margins in the World Cup final were so tight that a single score would have swayed things New Zealand's way.
South Africa fans may look back on the conversion missed by Richie Mo'unga after Beauden Barrett's second-half try as the moment they won the World Cup, but a pair of world champions pointed out another crucial moment on the Rugby World Cup podcast this week.
Ex-Springbok Jean de Villiers and All Black Conrad Smith were mediated by Englishman Ugo Monye, as the trio dissected Saturday's World Cup final - and Smith questioned New Zealand's choice to kick to the corner in the 51st minute, with Siya Kolisi in the sin-bin.
Despite the man advantage and the opportunity it presented, Smith felt that the All Blacks should have taken a kick at goal for the chance to get within just three points and a half-an-hour to play:
As a spectator, I don’t like drilling onto those decisions, but I would love to ask that.
I had Thierry Dusatoir and Matt Giteau next to me and I was really confused. Part of me thought, maybe they knew Siya was only goint to get a yellow, so they had ten minutes to capitalise on 14 on 14. But, as far as I could see, I just thought ‘take those three, man. You’re in a final.'
Hindsight is a beautiful thing, of course, and both Smith and Monye would go on to acknowledge that the feel of a game on the pitch can lead players to make choices that may seem more risky from the sidelines.
Throughout their debate, 2007 World Cup winner Jean de Villiers was somewhat silent - before interjecting with a cheeky jab at the All Blacks' decision-making:
I thought it was the right decision. For us!
109-times capped Springbok de Villiers spent a year with Munster during the 2009-10 season, helping the province to reach the Heineken Cup semi-finals.
New Zealand will no doubt spend much of the coming World Cup cycle thinking back to the many "what if?" questions posed by the World Cup final in the Stade de France.
Featured image: World Rugby/Sportsfile
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