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Hello and welcome to ESPN's live coverage of the quarterfinal clash between France and New Zealand!
You can read the preview HERE
Follow our men on the ground, Tom Hamilton (@tomESPNscrum) and Rob Bartlett (@RobBartlettESPN), for their first hand insights straight from Cardiff.
France XV: S Spedding, B Dulin, W Fofana, A Dumoulin, N Nakaitaci, F Michalak, M Parra; B Le Roux, L Picamoles, T Dusautoir, Y Maestri, P Pape, R Slimani, G Guirado, E Ben Arous.
New Zealand XV: Ben Smith, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Julian Savea, Dan Carter, Aaron Smith; Wyatt Crockett, Dane Coles, Owen Franks, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw (captain), Kieran Read.
Also see...
- South Africa's earlier win
- Ford and Gray bans over turned ahead of Scotland's game
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| 1 |
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Dan Carter kicks us off and we're under way here in Cardiff. It doesn't take long for the ball to bounce back into New Zealand's hands from the kick off as Conrad Smith leads the charge towards the French try line.
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| 2 |
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Blistering start from the defending champions, just metres from the try line before Carter's little grubber kick finds it way into French hands. Worked it to phase 10 with relative ease, Nonu prominent.
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| 3 |
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Still don't think France have touched the ball. New Zealand have worked it well, again, down the one of their main men Milner-Skudder on the right flank but he's bundled into touch.
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| 4 |
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And France have fluffed the lineout, gifting possession back to their opponents in black! On the attack again. New Zealand proving why they're World Champs here, some great rugby.
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| 5 |
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Morgan Parra has to kick to release the pressure but he's later penalised for holding onto Aaron Smith's legs in the ruck having missed the ball on the deck. Penalty to NZ.
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| 6 |
0 - 3 |
And it comes as no surprise that the first three points have come from Dan Carter. 3-0 All Blacks.
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| 8 |
3 - 3 |
And France have one, too! Penalty kick for Spedding. It must be said, it's inside their own half and a very ambitious kick. We'll see...
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| 9 |
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What a kick. Hits the post and it's in.
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| 10 |
3 - 8 |
NEW ZEALAND TRY!
Retallick charges the kick down and has a simple 20 metre run to the try line. Michalak's kick seems to has injured himself, too. Early sub it seems already!
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| 11 |
3 - 10 |
Carter makes the conversion kick.
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| 12 |
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France on the attack themselves as they look to instantly make amends for the try they just conceeded. Fofana involved with Spedding before the penalty's awarded as McCaw is deemed as offside. Left flank, about 35 metres out.
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| 14 |
6 - 10 |
Parra nails the three and France are back within touching distance.
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| 15 |
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Sloppy work on the ball from the All Blacks and Savea is penalised for being offside. Gifting the French some momentum at the moment and they've got another penalty.
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| 16 |
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I can't believe it. On the 22 and fairly central, but Parra's sent it too far wide. Need, need, NEED to be taking those against the All Blacks in the quarters of a World Cup.
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| 20 |
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France starting to impose themselves a bit more on the All Blacks but they're not managing to find any sort of clean line break to open up the possibility of a try. Milner-Skudder conducting a lot of ball carrying and the odd Aaron Smith kick, but not a lot else going on - slow-ish game the past few minutes. New Zealand lineout on their left.
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| 21 |
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| 22 |
6 - 15 |
Guilhem Guirado impressively shuts down Carter's kick but he can't follow up. In fact, I think it hit him where it really hurts and he's down...
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| 23 |
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NEW ZEALAND TRY!
MILNER-SKUDDER! Superb individual try. He just made something very difficult look very easy. Fantastic sidestep to fool probably four French defenders, breaks the line and drives home.
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| 24 |
6 - 17 |
Carter - conversion
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| 26 |
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New Zealand awarded the penalty, kicks for the lineout and we have a driving maul. Five metres from the French white line here...
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| 27 |
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Ah, nothing to report in terms of points. France awarded the penalty in their 22 and they can escape. They've kicked the lineout to half way.
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| 28 |
6 - 22 |
New Zealand attacking again here...
NEW ZEALAND TRY!
This could be messy here. Quick ball from NZ and France failing to challenge at the breakdown. Great offload from Carter to Savea who navigates his way to five points.
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| 30 |
6 - 24 |
Carter - conversion
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| 31 |
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France battling hard while New Zealand continue to prove their true worth, they're making this look very easy.
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| 32 |
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The first scrum! France to feed.
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| 33 |
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Picamole comes out the scrum well with the ball and the first bit of proper French attack with ball in hand. Fofana conducting stuff well once he's given the ball down the right flank. Can they make it pay?
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| 34 |
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French have had their offensive movements pushed to outside the All Blacks 22. Still on the ball and they're continuing to build something here, but not as threatening compared to a few moments ago.
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| 35 |
11 - 24 |
FRANCE TRY!
Wow! Picamoles try! Off to the TMO...
Picamoles picks up the bouncing ball after Bernard le Roux - the intended pass receiver - fortunately fumbled in front of him. Anyone else and that wouldn't be a try. Needed the strength from Picamole to bundle that over as New Zealand tacklers jumped onto his back.
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| 36 |
13 - 24 |
Parra - conversion
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| 37 |
13 - 29 |
Savea - try
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| 38 |
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NEW ZEALAND TRY!
Savea. Stunning finish. Stunning try.
Fantastic take from Ben Smith in the air before a sumptuous long pass from Aaron Smith sets up Retallick who finds Savea. Outstanding finish from the winger who literally pushes Wesley Fofana, Alexandre Dumoulin and Noa Nakaitaci out the way one by one.
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| 39 |
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| 40+1 |
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HALF TIME ANALYSIS
ESPN's Rob Bartlett had this to say:
"The pace was as electric as the atmosphere inside the roof of Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. Ma'a Nonu broke the line twice in as many minutes with a couple of scintillating runs as the All Blacks enjoyed a largely comfortable first 40. Aside from an unbelievable 53m penalty from Scott Spedding and a late try from Louis Picamoles, the French had little to cheer about: Frederic Michalak's injury was salt in the wounds after Retallick charged him down to break clear and score, before Milner-Skudder added a brilliant second try courtesy of some fancy footwork. Another two from Julien Savea, the first superbly set up by the talismanic Carter, gives the defending champions a commanding halftime lead. With the French fans heading early to the bar, the ghosts of 2007 look set to be laid to rest. "
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| 40 |
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Milner-Skudder's is off with an injury, but we're back underway here in Cardiff! France kick off.
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| 42 |
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It's been all France as we start this second half and they've done well to work their way in the All Blacks 22. Fofana heavily involved in their attacking movements again, with centre partner Alexandre Dumoulin chipping in as well.
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| 43 |
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Milner-Skudder's replacement Barrett has made his first bit of play as he collects and kicks for the lineout relieving his side of the mounting French pressure.
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| 45 |
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French lineout needs to be replayed, which it is, and the resulting driving maul gains 10 metres ground before they're awarded the penalty. But of a scrap going on here, too.
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| 46 |
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Picamoles binned for his "fist to face" on Richie McCaw. Not quite a punch, but correct decision.
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| 48 |
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Ben Smith closes down the kick and nearly came away with another opportunist try! Almost, but not quite.
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| 49 |
13 - 34 |
NEW ZEALAND TRY!
And there we have it! It doesn't matter that Ben Smith couldn't get the extra try as Kaino does it for him down the left! Some nice passing to find the No.6 along the flank who then drives home for another five points. All Blacks ripping the French apart.
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| 50 |
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| 53 |
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France lineout forms the driving maul but New Zealand hold strong and bring it back to the deck. Efficient from the All Blacks.
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| 56 |
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Not much happening here as we await the re-introduction of Picamoles and the scrum to form.
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| 57 |
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Quick kick taken by France once they're awarded it from the scrum.
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| 58 |
13 - 39 |
France are still on the attack, but nothing significant has resulted from that quick penalty. New Zealand's defence is strong and is doing a great job at nullifying the French threat.
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| 59 |
13 - 41 |
NEW ZEALAND TRY!
Savea! Down the flank again, another great try from a superb player. France just do not know what to do with him. All Blacks pump the ball well along their line and find Savea out on the very edge.
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| 62 |
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Attacking play again from New Zealand as they slowly but surely offload the ball to one another succesfully in their pursuit of even more points. Even Charlie Faumuina had the pace the break the line.
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| 64 |
13 - 46 |
NEW ZEALAND TRY!
France have just folded here. Charlie Faumuina breaks the line and combines with Kieran Read to set up the try not far from the French uprights.
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| 65 |
13 - 48 |
Carter - conversion
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| 67 |
13 - 55 |
NEW ZEALAND
Sonny Bill Williams heavily involved in that one as Nonu finds the eventual scorer Tawera Kerr-Barlow who guides home under the sticks.
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| 69 |
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New Zealand on the attack again but the French call on fullback Scott Spedding to clear their lines.
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| 70 |
13 - 60 |
NEW ZEALAND
Keven Mealamu scores. France completely unraveled here. Joe Moody's 'out the back' offload finds the try scorer who has little to do except put it on the floor.
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| 71 |
13 - 62 |
Carter - conversion
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| 73 |
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France actually attacking for once down their right and have even managed a penalty. They're going to the lineout...
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| 74 |
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Not much comes from that and New Zealand are back with ball in hand. All very scrappy, but Smith chips and chases, can he make it...
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| 75 |
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Just short of the try!
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| 76 |
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And we're back to scrums. One of the few we've seen during this game, but we're awaiting the feed from France.
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| 77 |
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Turned illegally and France have the penalty.
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| 78 |
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France look to set the game out with the ball in their hands as they look to gain some territory, for once...
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| 79 |
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Pretty slow French build up play, which is understandable given the score line, but Fofana has broken the line at fairly jogging pace before being eventually taken down.
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| 80 |
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Nonu, what a fumble that was! Runs nearly half the pitch with the ball in hand before voluntarily falling right on the try line and drops the ball. Teammates smile. Think he'll be on the receiving end of a few jokes this week in training... Scrum to see the game out, France in hand.
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| 80+1 |
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FULL TIME ANALYSIS
ESPN's Rob Bartlett had this to say:
"We expected a New Zealand bloodbath against Namibia, Tonga and maybe Georgia in the pool stages but certainly not against France in this World Cup quarterfinal. Finally, the All Blacks have shown why they are favoured to become the first nation to retain the Webb Ellis trophy. This wasn't just a destruction, it was a brutal obliteration of Philippe Saint-Andre's side in front of a shellshocked Millennium Stadium. After Picamoles was binned for a closed fist on McCaw, the floodgates well and truly opened. Savea notched another World Cup hat trick while replacement Kerr-Barlow made the French backline look like a bunch of Ken Barlow's. 2007 is but a distant memory for both of these sides and Steve Hansen will no doubt be licking his lips at this performance. "
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