The 2014 Super Rugby season has been some season. The order of the Chiefs, Brumbies and Bulls from the previous season was certainly turned on its head with the Waratahs, Crusaders and Sharks leading the way in each conference and the Waratahs and Crusaders ultimately making the Final.
The season deserved a final of utmost excitement and quality and boy did it get one.
Rugby union in Australia has struggled in recent times, especially in its traditional heartland of Sydney. Therefore, it will please not only the Waratahs but also Australian rugby - and rugby neutrals too - that the Waratahs made the Final and got 61,000 people to ANZ Stadium for the Final - plus sold out the Sydney Football Stadium the week before for the game against the Brumbies.
It will also please them that the Final turned out to be such a wonderful testament to the best of rugby union with both these sides who have a bit of history between each other, going for the victory for the full 80 minutes in a game that was as up and down as a roller coaster.
The Waratahs started and finished well but looked at times like they would succumb to the Crusaders' Finals experience and grit. In the end, the Waratahs finally showed the endurance they lacked in their previous 17 seasons and earned themselves the penalty that young Bernard Foley converted with aplomb to win the game and finally put to bed the Waratahs' reputation of being Super Rugby's ultimate chokers and underperformers.
As for the Crusaders, they are now in danger of reserving the chokers' tag after letting slip yet another Super Rugby Final - the 2nd time they've done so in Australia in 4 seasons. The Crusaders had this game within their grasp but some bizarre decisions, i.e. the substitution of Wyatt Crockett just as he was monstering the Waratahs scrum and having Willie Heinz kick away possession after getting that penalty to give them the 32-30 lead.
The Crusaders were their own worst enemy too, with McCaw and Crotty missing tackles they normally would have made that led to tries to Adam Ashley-Cooper. McCaw's indiscretion - a bit questionable to some - ultimately led to Foley's winning penalty but the defeat can't just be put squarely on McCaw's head.
In the end, it was just a thrilling contest that the Crusaders were just on the wrong end of. They can be proud of what they've achieved this season though just as much as the Waratahs who finally might have signalled the return of Australian rugby.
Man of the Match - Bernard Foley - will forever be remembered for that penalty kick to end the Waratahs' long run of underachievement, but should also be remembered not just for his record points-tally in the Final (28), but also his bravery and courage as well as his energy - he was just everywhere covering his wingers and centres and making big tackles on the likes of Nemani Nadolo. The Wallabies might finally have their answer to the number 10 top as well as a role model for aspiring young rugby players after the failures of Kurtley Beale and James O'Connor.
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