Former All Whites forward Rory Fallon relives his famous goal against Bahrain in Wellington, 15 years on

Wednesday, 12 March 2025

Rory Fallon revisits the scene of his 2009 World Cup qualifier goal against Bahrain, sharing memories of the header that sent the All Whites to the World Cup.

Rory Fallon hopes to be at Auckland’s Eden Park on March 24 to celebrate the All Whites qualifying for the Fifa World Cup, and return the favour to Chris Wood.

On November 14, 2009, before a delirious Wellington crowd of 35,179, Fallon’s headed goal against Bahrain booked the All Whites’ tickets to South Africa and earned him national hero status - plus a post-match dousing from a then 17-year-old Wood.

“Woodsy and Killy (Chris Killen) threw the cold bucket of water over me… that was one memory,” Fallon said at Sky Stadium on Wednesday, 15 years on. “I owe Woodsy one, so hopefully we beat Fiji and go to the final and I give him a bucket of ice-cold water over his head.”

All Whites goalscorer Rory Fallon gets a dousing from Chris Wood, left, afetr beating Bahrain in Wellington in 2009.

Wood, now a Premier League superstar for Nottingham Forest, is the only returning All White from that night of capital chaos, when they face Fiji in the Oceania qualifying semifinal at Sky Stadium next Friday night (March 21).

The winners face New Caledonia or Tahiti in Auckland three days later for the right to join 47 other nations at Fifa World Cup 2026, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Fallon, now based in Wellington where he coaches Upper Hutt City, still gets goosebumps when he returns to the spot where he rose to meet Leo Bertos’ pinpoint corner just before halftime.

Back at Sky Stadium, Rory Fallon recreates the moment of his headed goal to book the All Whites a spot at the 2010 World Cup.

“We’d been working on it since we played at Barnsley together. We always had that good combination, and he always just puts great crosses in, Leo, so I knew whereabouts he was going to put that ball. I just charged for it and the rest is history.”

As soon as Fallon made contact, he knew the ball was searing the back of the net. Cue the celebrations, as a packed house all wearing white went crazy.

“No one got to me, I ran so quick. No one could catch me. There was a massive pile-up, I remember running to that corner and that euphoric feeling of scoring such an important goal and understanding the history of what that goal could mean. We didn’t care who scored the goal as long as we won, and that’s how I felt.”

Not since 1982, when his father Kevin was assistant coach, had the All Whites made the World Cup finals. The anticipation and aftermath were immense, Fallon recalls, as goalkeeper Mark Paston made a vital penalty save and they clinched a 1-0 victory worth US$8 million ($NZ$14m) to New Zealand Football.

Rory Fallon heads the winning goal against Bahrain in 2009.

“From the moment we left the hotel, to when we left the stadium… I’ve never seen New Zealand fans get so excited for a football game.

“When the (final) whistle went we were charging after each other, I saw my uncle in the crowd and couldn’t find my parents… it was pandemonium.”

Fallon gave one of his playing shirts from that night to his childhood mate James Jepson, and kept the other in his collection alongside Italy’s Riccardo Montolivo who he swapped with when they drew the following year.

Former All White Rory Fallon at the spot where the celebrations kicked off in November 2009.

So, 15 or so years on, how life-changing was that moment in Wellington?

Fallon said: “It doesn’t change your life but you tick off the dream. I had a dream when I was training with my Dad as a young kid, of being a professional footballer in England and playing in a World Cup.

“To fulfil that dream, I had to pinch myself a couple of times to realise. It was exciting, a great time in football, and hopefully that’s to come now (for the current All Whites). I have no doubt that will be happening.”

One of the current crop, Alex Rufer, was a 13-year-old in the crowd with his father Shane and uncle Wynton, both former All Whites. The latter was the star striker in the 1982 side.

“The roar was something I’d never heard before… and being with my Dad and uncle who’d played for New Zealand too. I saw how much it meant to them. What a moment,” Rufer said.

“I remember just seeing them jumping and going mental like they were just a normal fan. Me and my brother, we were the same. We spoke about it at school for the next two weeks, such a proud moment for us and everyone who was at the stadium.”

Rufer and his fellow Wellington Phoenix All Whites play Sydney FC on Sunday night before assembling in the capital early next week to build up for their big shot at emulating the class of 2009.