New Zealand 62 France 13: All Blacks turn on the style with nine-try win to reach semi-finals
Julian Savea scored a hat-trick of tries as New Zealand hammered France 62-13 at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday to set up an all-Southern Hemisphere clash with South Africa in the Rugby World Cup semi-finals.
The All Blacks produced their best performance of the tournament, running in nine tries in an ominous display to join the Springboks in the last four after they beat Wales 23-19 in the first quarter-final at Twickenham.
New Zealand stamped their authority on the match against France when lock Brodie Retallick scored the opening try after 10 minutes, charging down an attempted clearance kick from French flyhalf Frederic Michalak.
Nehe Milner-Skudder added a second try and fellow winger Savea ran in two as the All Blacks went to the break leading 29-13, with France getting a lone five-pointer from number eight Louis Picamoles.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZLFRA?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3093001-https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZLFRA?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#NZLFRA</a> LIVE: <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZL?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3093001-https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZL?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#NZL</a> lead <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FRA?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3093001-https://twitter.com/hashtag/FRA?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#FRA</a> by 29 points to 13 at the break <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://t.co/6GQPNb8MVY" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3093001-http://t.co/6GQPNb8MVY" data-vars-event-id="c23">http://t.co/6GQPNb8MVY</a> <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RWC2015?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3093001-https://twitter.com/hashtag/RWC2015?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#RWC2015</a> <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://t.co/jNMd5bboE3" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3093001-http://t.co/jNMd5bboE3" data-vars-event-id="c23">pic.twitter.com/jNMd5bboE3</a> — Standard Sport (@standardsport) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/standardsport/status/655470310716776448" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3093001-https://twitter.com/standardsport/status/655470310716776448" data-vars-event-id="c23">October 17, 2015</a>
The All Blacks, who beat France in the World Cup final four years ago, continued their assault in the second half, Jerome Kaino, Savea, Kieran Read and Tawera Kerr-Barlow (twice) all adding tries to complete the rout.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZLvFRA?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3093001-https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZLvFRA?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#NZLvFRA</a> LIVE: Julian Savea has a hat-trick, and <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZL?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3093001-https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZL?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#NZL</a> now lead <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FRA?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3093001-https://twitter.com/hashtag/FRA?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#FRA</a> by 41 points to 13. <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://t.co/6GQPNb8MVY" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3093001-http://t.co/6GQPNb8MVY" data-vars-event-id="c23">http://t.co/6GQPNb8MVY</a> <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://t.co/qxfsaOIWTl" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3093001-http://t.co/qxfsaOIWTl" data-vars-event-id="c23">pic.twitter.com/qxfsaOIWTl</a> — Standard Sport (@standardsport) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/standardsport/status/655480274361393152" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3093001-https://twitter.com/standardsport/status/655480274361393152" data-vars-event-id="c23">October 17, 2015</a>
Earlier this afternoon South Africa left it late to dispatch of Wales by 23 points to 19 at Twickenham.
Fancy yourself as a rugby expert? Have a go at our World Cup quiz and be sure to share the results with your friends, family and fellow fans on Facebook and Twitter!
