New Zealand won the 2011 Rugby World Cup by grinding out an 8-7 victory against France at Eden Park in Auckland.
Graham Henry's side staged a repeat of the 1987 Rugby World Cup final, the last time they succeeded in winning the biggest prize in the sport.
The All Blacks led 5-0 at half-time after prop Tony Woodcock crossed in the 15th minute and went further ahead early in the second half when Stephen Donald added what proved a decisive penalty.
France responded through inspirational captain Thierry Dusautoir, whose try was converted, as the underdogs pushed hard to wrest the lead from New Zealand's clutches.
Blindside flanker Dusautoir and his No 8 lieutenant Imanol Harinordoquy were immense to pen New Zealand into their own half for much of the second half.
But a vital break came and New Zealand crawled their way towards halfway in a controlled piece of forward play, winning a vital penalty with a minute to play.
It broke the back of the spirited France effort and allowed All Blacks No 8 Kieran Read to secure the ball at the lineout, setting up a drive which resulted in the game-securing penalty.
Having lost their talismanic fly-half Dan Carter and experienced full-back Mils Muliaina during the tournament, New Zealand finished the game with their fourth-choice No 10 Donald on the field after Aaron Cruden joined Carter and his deputy Colin Slade on the injured bench.
After 24 years without lifting the World Cup, New Zealand had little chance to put their destructive backline to use, relying instead on forward play to secure victory.
France set the scene by challenging the haka, walking from their designated position on the 10metre line in arrowhead formation to halfway.
France made the first thrust of the game when they attempted to run the ball at New Zealand, but the constant probing found no openings and it was a superb piece of play that saw the All Blacks score first.
Scrum half Piri Weepu, who had earlier missed a penalty-goal attempt, won a penalty from a France lineout.
Flanker Dusautoir took the long throw but was tackled by Read, and Weepu was prevented from claiming the ball.
His penalty kick took New Zealand to within five metres of the France line.
New Zealand threw to flanker Jerome Kaino, Kaino off-loaded to Woodcock who trundled over the line to open the scoring.
A nervous-looking Weepu missed the conversion and another penalty-goal attempt, but his kicking over the top from rucks was pinpoint and kept France in their half for long periods.
New Zealand suffered a blow when Cruden was forced off with a knee injury in the 33rd minute, replaced by Donald. France had earlier lost their own fly-half Morgan Parra after a knee to the head from All Blacks captain McCaw.
Read was prominent, often standing in midfield to receive the ball and bullock his way through, with Dusautoir taking a similar role for France.
Francois Trinh-Duc replaced Parra and miskicked an early dropped goal attempt, but ran back a Donald kick to the deep and was only thwarted by a flying ankle tap from McCaw.
Donald - who days earlier had been on a fishing trip - opened the scoring in the second half with a penalty in the 44th minute, but France struck back when New Zealand lost the ball in a turnover as Dagg attempted to bring the ball forward.
France took some moments to work out their options and it was left for centre Aurelien Rougerie to straighten the attack and set up the chance for Dusautoir, who scooped up the ball to score by the posts. Trinh-Duc added the conversion.
A frantic finale France took heart and their confidence lifted, helping them shut down the All Blacks' attempts to break through.
A turnover on an All Blacks throw to a lineout also highlighted the issues for the home team as they attempted to regain the initiative.
France produced their best scrum of the match in the 64th minute to win a penalty a metre inside New Zealand's half, but Trinh-Duc was unable to convert.
France held the ball superbly in the closing stages and gave New Zealand no chance to progress out of their half.
But the home defence was also solid and unrelenting, and in the end that defensive play was vital to the victory.
Match facts
France made more carries (100 v 88), beat more defenders (13 v 7) and missed fewer tackles than New Zealand but still ended up losing.
This was the lowest scoring final in the history of the Rugby World Cup.
Thierry Dusautoir (11) made more carries than any other player in the final, he also made a joint high 12 tackles.
In all seven Rugby World Cup finals the side winning at half-time has gone on to lift the Webb Ellis Cup.
France managed to make 12 offloads in the match, 10 more than the All Blacks.
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