Rugby World Cup: Rampant All Blacks overpower Wallabies to reach final

Hosts New Zealand stormed into the World Cup final by overpowering 'old enemy' Australia 20-6 in a brutally efficient display of power rugby at Eden Park on Sunday.

The All Blacks, who had twice lost World Cup semi-finals to the Wallabies, were superior in every department and never looked like missing out on a meeting with France next weekend in a repeat of the 1987 final — when they won their only title.

Centre Ma'a Nonu scored an early try and four penalties from scrum-half Piri Weepu added to an Aaron Cruden drop goal proved more than enough to keep the Wallabies out.

"It was awesome," said All Blacks captain Richie McCaw. "We realised we were going to have to front up and be on the job for 80 minutes.

"The intensity was there. Every single man out there did their bit tonight and that's what you have got to do in knockout rugby."

Tri-Nation champions Australia scored through a James O'Connor penalty and a Quade Cooper drop goal but, as in their quarter-final against South Africa, were feeding off scraps and unable to put any real pressure on their trans-Tasman rivals.

"We didn't have enough possession," said coach Robbie Deans. "The All Blacks are a very good defensive side. Most sides would have leaked one or two, but they didn't."

Nowhere was the difference between the two sides more evident than in the way they dealt with the high ball — the All Black backs kicking and catching superbly where the Australians were inaccurate and clumsy.

Showing no signs of the jitters evident around the host nation this week, the All Blacks ripped into the Australians from the start and got their rewards when Nonu crossed to score in the sixth minute.

Fullback Israel Dagg, who was outstanding, cut inside Anthony Faingaa and charged towards the line before flicking the ball out of the tackle to Nonu just as he was about to be bundled into touch.

Weepu missed the conversion and then the first of two penalties awarded in three minutes against Australia's openside flanker David Pocock for leaving his feet at the ruck.

The All Blacks scrum-half nailed the second, however, to give his side an 8-0 lead in the 13th minute and it looked like being a long night for the Australians as the ferocious onslaught continued.

A tackle-smashing charge from winger Digby Ioane helped give O'Connor the chance to put the Wallabies on the board with a penalty in the 16th minute, but it was temporary relief and the black hordes were soon hammering at the door again.

Cruden, New Zealand's third-choice fly-half, landed a drop goal to extend the lead to 11-3 after 22 minutes. All the while his opposite number, Quade Cooper, was suffering something of a meltdown.

The New Zealand-born fly-half had booted the kickoff straight into touch and his evening barely improved from there with a series of confidence-sapping errors that delighted most of the 60,000 crowd.

A neatly executed drop goal in the 32nd minute would have brought some comfort to him, but Weepu added two more penalties in five minutes around the half-time break to make the score 17-6.

There was no more scoring for the next half-hour as the Wallabies launched more and more desperate attacks from their own half only to be stymied by the bruising All Blacks defence or the whistle of referee Craig Joubert.

The home scrum had been well on top since Wallaby prop Sekope Kepu, who suffered an ankle injury last weekend, had to be replaced in the 21st minute.

They drove home their advantage on an Australian scrum in the 72nd minute and Weepu, who had temporarily come back on as a blood replacement, converted the ensuing penalty to take the lead to 20-6.

Replacement Sonny Bill Williams was yellow-carded for a shoulder barge on the hapless Cooper four minutes later to give the Australians a glimmer of hope, but the All Blacks defended stoutly and were not to be denied.

Appropriately enough, the contest ended when Cooper was bundled into touch as he desperately scrambled to keep the game alive.

As It Happened
0 min — Kickoff. The second World Cup semi-final, between New Zealand and Australia, begins at Eden Park. The stadium is packed with rival supporters in black and gold on a perfect dry night in Auckland where the winner will join France in next week's final. The atmosphere is electric and the crowd lets out an almighty roar when the Wallabies kick off proceedings.

6 min — TRY to New Zealand. Ma'a Nonu scores in the right corner after fullback Israel Dagg breaks the Australian line and flicks the ball back inside to Nonu just as he is about to get tackled into touch. Piri Weepu misses the conversion but the All Blacks have dominated the opening minutes. New Zealand 5 Australia 0.

12 min — PENALTY to New Zealand. Australia flanker David Pocock is penalised for leaving his feet after New Zealand fly-half Aaron Cruden slices his way through the Australian defence. Weepu is successful with the kick after striking the upright with an earier attempt. New Zealand 8 Australia 0.

16 min — PENALTY to Australia. The Wallabies open their account with a close-range penalty from James O'Connor after winger Digby Ioane breaks free on the left side and almost scores a try in the Wallabies' first attack of the match. New Zealand 8 Australia 3.

22 min — DROP GOAL New Zealand. Weepu misses another kick, his third so far, after the Australian scrum collapses, but Cruden makes amends when he coolly lands a drop goal from about 38 metres out in front. New Zealand 11 Australia 3.

32 min — DROP GOAL Australia. Wallabies fly-half Quade Cooper bangs over a drop goal from in front of the sticks after the Australians attack the New Zealand line for several minutes but can't find a way through. New Zealand 11 Australia 6.

37 min — PENALTY to New Zealand. Weepu lands his second penalty, from 41m out, after the Australians give away a penalty for an accidental offside. New Zealand 14 Australia 6.

Half-time — New Zealand 14 Australia 6

43 min — PENALTY to New Zealand. Australia centre Pat McCabe is penalised for not releasing the ball after being tackled midfield. Weepu makes no mistake with his shot as the All Blacks open the scoring in the second half. New Zealand 17 Australia 6.

73 min — PENALTY to New Zealand. South African referee Craig Joubert penalises the Australian scrum after it crumbles again. Weepu makes no mistake with his shot from wide out on the left side of the field, giving the All Blacks a commanding 14-point lead with time running out for the Australians. New Zealand 20 Australia 6.

76 min — YELLOW CARD New Zealand. All Blacks replacement Sonny Bill Williams is shown the yellow card for a shoulder charge on Quade Cooper.

80 min — FULL-TIME and New Zealand are into next Sunday's final against France at Eden Park, 20-6 winners over Australia.