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Welsh captain Sam Warburton (left) makes a dangerous tackle on French player Vincent Clerc in which he was subsequently sent off (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
A brain-explosion spear-tackle from captain Sam Warburton cost Wales its first Rugby World Cup final berth at Eden Park tonight.
Final Score: France 9 – Wales 8
France won 9-8 to book a third final appearance after reaching the losing deciders in 1987 against the All Blacks, and 1999 against the Wallabies.
But the immediate reaction by Irish referee Alain Rolland to red-card Warburton in the 17th minute upset the Welsh momentum for the rest of the game.
Dumb rugby kicking away priceless possession with a man down, and poor goal-kicking landing just one penalty from six, and missing a conversion, did the rest for Wales.
So close yet so far for the men-in-scarlet, but nobody to blame but themselves.
Warburton will be having nightmares for years over his stupidity. The youngest captain in the tournament at 23, he has been inspirational from the first week.
But not tonight.
Full marks to France, they’ve had the wood on the Welsh in recent years.
Wales hasn’t beaten France since March 2008, France has won six of the last 10 meetings, and won 28-9 in their last meeting.
And France created history tonight by becoming to first country to reach the final after losing two pool games, to the All Blacks and the shock loss to Tonga.
The stats showed how hard France had to work for their win.
* Territory – 60% for Wales.
* Possession – 59% for Wales.
* And tackles – France 126, Wales 56.
But the proof was in the telling, with left-footed fly-half Morgan Parra deftly slotting three penalties from as many attempts to a spectacular Mike Phillips try, and a James Hook penalty to open the scoring.
The French win was almost a repeat of how the Wallabies beat the Boks last weekend.
Like how the hell did the French do it?
One thing for certain, whichever team wins tomorrow night between the All Blacks, and the Wallabies, will be crowned the 2011 Rugby World Cup champions.
FRANCE 9 (Morgan Parra 3 pens) bt WALES 8 (Michael Phillips try James Hook pen) at Eden Park. Referee: Alain Rolland. Crowd: 58,629.