New Zealand 62 — Tries: Retallick, Milner-Skudder, Savea 3, Kaino, Read, Kerr-Barlow 2; Cons: Carter 7; Pens: Carter
France (13) 13 — Try: Picamoles Con: Parra Pens: Spedding, Parra
CARDIFF // New Zealand showed why they are the world’s best team when they completely dismantled France in the Millennium Stadium.
Steve Hansen’s side exorcised the demons of their two previous World Cup defeats to France with a 62-13 win. It eclipsed the previous record margin in the knockout rounds of 28 points that South Africa steamrollered Samoa by in 1995.
Dan Carter contributed 16 points and set up two of Julian Savea’s three tries, while Ma’a Nonu was the bludgeon to the rapier talents of Nehe Milner-Skudder, who danced through the French defence to score his fifth try of the tournament.
New Zealand raced to a 29-13 lead at the break, but after half-time France fell apart and let in forwards Jerome Kaino, Keiran Read. Tawera Kerr-Barlow became the first substitute to snaffle a brace in a quarter-final.
New Zealand now face South Africa in the first semi-final on Saturday at Twickenham after the Springboks edged past Wales in London.
New Zealand’s most significant weakness throughout the pool stages was the propensity to cough up possession at the breakdown, but with French captain Thierry Dusatoir off his game, the reigning world champions enjoyed almost uncontested ball for the duration of the match.
Dusatoir had assured the world that his squad were ready to face the world’s top team after reports suggested there was, once again, in-fighting in the French camp that mirrored the build-up eight years ago when France shocked the All Blacks in this stadium.
They were not even close, and the sucker punch came as early as the 11th minute. Frederic Michalak went to clear his lines outside his 22 but the fly-half was charged down by Retallick, who galloped off to the tryline.
Michalak had suffered a hamstring injury at an earlier breakdown and by extending that in the kick, he hobbled off to be replaced by Racing Metro’s Remi Tales.
It got worse. Conrad Smith was caught in possession but managed to offload to Nonu, who drew Louis Picamoles and then fed Milner-Skudder who cut inside and waltzed past Brice Dulin and Scott Spedding to increase the All Black’s lead.
Moments later it was Carter’s sublime backhand offload that made fools of Picamoles, Noa Nakaitaci and Spedding that put Savea in for his first try.
Picamoles made up for his error when Parra found him by mistake after Dusatoir missed the scrum-half’s pass. The Toulouse No 8 dragged Retallick and Ben Smith over the line with him to touch down, but then handed the initiative back to New Zealand when he failed to gather a high kick just inside his own half.
Aaron Smith whipped it out to Retallick, who was lurking out wide and Savea kept his depth and width to hit the lock’s floating pass. He punched through three weak tackles to leave the northern hemisphere side 16 points adrift at the break.
Richie McCaw has spent a career evading the eyes of the referee and in the 47th minute the All Blacks skipper came in from the wrong side at a ruck. It incensed Picamoles so much that he applied his fist to McCaw’s face.
The television match official assured the crowd that it was not a punch but with Picamoles sent to the sin bin the floodgates opened and a black tsunami carried the French off in to the dark night.
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