All Blacks rebound from rugby World Cup nightmare

The New Zealanders completed a cleansweep of the four Home Nations

AFP

PARIS. New Zealand rebounded from their shock World Cup quarter-final exit to dominate the international rugby scene in 2008, cementing their place as the world's number one team.

The All Blacks saw more than 10 players depart for foreign shores after the World Cup, but having been given a vote of confidence by NZRU officials, coach Graham Henry managed what could have been a traumatic transition to perfection.

The New Zealanders won the Tri-Nations and then completed a cleansweep of the four Home Nations on their November tour that also saw them beat Australia for the Bledisloe Cup in Hong Kong.

World champions South Africa finished bottom of the Tri-Nations with just two wins from six games.

Australia were second behind New Zealand but suffered the ignomy of losing to Wales in the final match of their November tour, the sole SANZAR team to suffer a defeat at the hands of a northern hemisphere team.

Henry blooded a host of young players sure to be around for the 2011 World Cup that New Zealand will host. They proved their worth as the All Blacks cemented their grip on the title as the world's number one ranking team.

Amazingly, inspirational captain Richie McCaw did not even make the shortlist for IRB world player of the year, Welsh winger Shane Williams beating off allcompetition.

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