All Blacks smash France to reach RWC Semis

New Zealand booked their place in the semi-finals of the World Cup with a nine-try rout over a terrible French side at the Millennium Stadium.

The All Blacks ran out 62-13 winners, avenging their World Cup quarter-final defeat against France at the same ground in 2007.

Dan Carter kicked 17 points but the star of the show was hat-trick hero Julian Savea who scored his second treble of the tournament.

Brodie Retallick, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Jerome Kaino, Kieran Read and a Tawera Kerr-Barlow brace also got on the score-board as France capitulated in Cardiff.

France scored through Louis Picamoles – who also got yellow-carded. Scott Spedding and Morgan Parra kicked a penalty apiece.

New Zealand ran-in 33 unanswered points in the second half as France wilted in the face of the All Black onslaught.

The game started at a frantic pace, the All Blacks attacking the French inside their 22m. France held out but were soon 3-0 behind when Carter kicked an easy penalty.

France quickly drew level when Spedding kicked a massive 53 metre penalty that went in-off the right-hand upright. That is as good as it would get.

New Zealand scored their first try soon after when Retallick charged-down Frederic Michalak’s clearance kick inside the French 22m. Michalak went off with an injury, Carter added the conversion, 10-3.

Parra reduced the All Black lead to four with a penalty in front of the sticks after McCaw was penalised for offside, but missed a simple attempt a minute later.

It did not matter as New Zealand increased the tempo scoring three tries in 15 minutes. First, Milner-Skudder’s fancy footwork after some Conrad Smith and Ma’a Nonu set-up the winger’s try.

Carter added the extras. 17-6 became 24-6 as Savea scored the first of his two tries. Carter’s wonderful off-load drew two defenders and sent the wing over un touched. The flyhalf made no mistake with the two points.

France hit back through Picamoles, who collected a loose ball that was dropped by Bernard Le Roux. Parra added the extras after the TMO allowed the try to stand, 24-13.

To stand any chance France had to stop the All Blacks from scoring their token five-minutes-before-half-time try: they could not.

Ben Smith collected his up-and-under, the ball was sent wide to Retallick. The lock passed to Savea who saw off Noa Nakaitaci’s weak tackle attempt, bounce Spedding and Rabah Slimani to score his second try.

Carter missed the conversion but at 29-13 the game was over before the break.

The All Blacks started the second period as they usually do: scoring inside the opening ten minutes, but not before Picamoles was sent to the bin for punching Richie McCaw.

Savea picked up a loose ball inside the opposition’s 22 and sent the ball through the hands for a simple score and the Kiwi’s fifth try through Kaino.

Carter missed his second conversion of the game but the lead was now 21 points.

France were being run ragged as New Zealand went up a couple of gears – Savea got his hat-trick on the hour running 45 metres. Carter made it 41-13.

All Black No 8 Read was next in for a simple try, Carter made no mistake as the Kiwis edged towards the 50-point mark and a record quarter-final win.

As the game moved into the final quarter Steve Hansen emptied his bench. There was time for a brief cameo from Kerr-Barlow.

The replacement, on for Aaron Smith, scored a brace; the first after a smart off-load by Ma’a Nonu after Ali Williams drew two defenders.

The second when New Zealand went through the phases, Read passed to Joe Moody who charged up-field, the prop’s neat off-load – highlighting the difference in class between the two sides – giving the substitute an easy score.

Carter’s two conversions took his tally to seven in the match and France’s humiliation was complete.

Final Score New Zealand 62 (29) France 13 (13)

Scorers

New Zealand

Tries – Retallick, Savea (3), Milner-Skudder, Kaino, Read, Kerr-Barlow (2)

Pen – Carter

Con – Carter (7)

Drop –

Cards –

France

Tries – Picamoles

Pen – Spedding, Parra

Con –

Drop –

Cards – Picamoles (Yellow)

Match Officials

Referee: Nigel Owens (WAL)

Assistant referees: Jaco Peyper (RSA), John Lacey (IRE)

TMO: Shaun Veldsman (RSA)

Teams

New Zealand

15 Ben Smith, 14 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Wyatt Crockett.

Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Joe Moody, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Sam Cane, 21 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22 Beauden Barrett, 23 Sonny Bill Williams.

France 

15 Scott Spedding, 14 Noa Nakaitaci, 13 Alexandre Dumoulin, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Brice Dulin, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Morgan Parra, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Bernard Le Roux, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (captain), 5 Yoann Maestri, 4 Pascal Pape, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Guilhem Guirado, 1 Eddy Ben Arous.

Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Vincent Debaty, 18 Nicolas Mas, 19 Damien Chouly, 20 Yannick Nyanga, 21 Rory Kockott, 22 Remi Tales, 23 Mathieu Bastareaud.