Celebrating world champions

The race to get the first publication out after the All Blacks' Rugby World Cup success was almost as full-on as the race to the final itself.

Publishing records of successful campaigns is always a hazardous business, never moreso than when attempting to be ready for New Zealand Rugby World Cup successes.

Many an intended publication has been shelved when the All Blacks tripped during the campaign.

That wasn't the case this time around and while there have been several promptly published versions the two who led the way were the official souvenir published by Penguin NZ titled Champions and Black where it belongs by HarperCollins.

Coming up with a different approach is also an important consideration to minimise the details being repeated.

Fortunately, for the two publishers concerned, they have been able to achieve different approaches.

The Champions souvenir is exactly that, a unashamed record of the All Blacks' campaign. The first half records the final and semi-final details and the second half, the other games in the campaign.

While there is written description penned by Richard Becht, it is the photos of Andrew Cornaga and his Photosport team that comes through strongly in this effort.

Black where it belongs takes a more overall look at the tournament and while also rich in photography, from a variety of sources, it also uses veteran rugby writer Bob Howitt's words to provide a look not only at the All Blacks' campaign but a pool-by-pool analysis, some featurettes on relevant points of interest during the tournament and a fuller statistical record of the tournament.

Howitt also indulges in the luxury of his choice of a Tournament XV and the players of the tournament.

In their own way the each represent a suitable record of the most memorable sporting moment in New Zealand's year in 2011.