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Cape Town - New Zealand on Saturday reached the Rugby World Cup semi-finals after beating France 62-13 in a thrilling quarter-final clash at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
As it happened: New Zealand 62 France 13
Julian Savea scored a hat-trick of tries as New Zealand hammered France 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.
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.
The Kiwis will face South Africa in the semi-finals at Twickenham next Saturday (17:00 SA time).
Teams:France
15 Scott Spedding, 14 Noa Nakaitaci, 13 Alexandre Dumoulin, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Brice Dulin, 10 Frédéric Michalak, 9 Morgan Parra, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Bernard le Roux, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (captain), 5 Yoann Maestri, 4 Pascal Papé, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Guilhem Guirado, 1 Eddy Ben Arous
Substitutes: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Vincent Debaty, 18 Nicolas Mas, 19 Damien Chouly, 20 Yannick Nyanga, 21 Rory Kockott, 22 Rémi Talès, 23 Mathieu Bastareaud
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 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Wyatt Crockett
Substitutes: 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
