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Australia’s Rugby World Cup campaign is over after New Zealand piled more Eden Park misery on the Wallabies in Sunday night’s blockbuster semi-final in Auckland.
Final score: All Blacks 20 – Wallabies 6
The All Blacks outclassed the Wallabies 20-6 in front of 60,087 mostly delirious fans to book a final showdown next Sunday night with France, who edged out Wales 9-8 in Saturday’s first semi-final.
The victory was New Zealand’s first ever over Australia at a Rugby World Cup, avenging painful semi-final defeats at the hands of their trans-Tasman rivals in 1991 and 2003.
The All Blacks are now tantalisingly close to lifting the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time since the inaugural World Cup in 1987 and will enter the title match raging favourites against the unpredictable French.
France were the last team to storm New Zealand’s Eden Park fortress back in 1994, but are extremely fortunate to still be alive this tournament after suffering pool losses to New Zealand and Tonga and narrowly avoiding an inglorious semi-final defeat to 14-man Wales.
The Welsh had captain Sam Warburton sent off in the 18th minute for a tipping tackle on French winger Vincent Clerc.
Even without master five-eighth Dan Carter, New Zealand had too many aces for Australia, who were under immense pressure from the very moment Quade Cooper kicked off out on the full with the opening play of the game.
The All Blacks would have won by more than 20 points had halves Piri Weepu and Aaron Cruden not missed five shots at goal between them.
The Wallabies produced an 11-9 Houdini act after continually booting away possession in last week’s quarter-final win over South Africa, but there was no such miracle on Sunday night.
Once again, Australia kicked away the pill virtually every time they were inside their own half and the only time they looked dangerous was when wingers Digby Ioane and James O’Connor and Cooper had a crack and ran the ball.
New Zealand dominated the opening 40 minutes and led 14-6 at the break.
The only try of the first half came in the sixth minute after fullback Israel Dagg dummied past Anthony Faingaa and escaped Rocky Elsom’s tackle to put charging centre Ma’a Nonu over.
Weepu missed the conversion, then hit the upright with a penalty before slotting a three-pointer in the 13th minute after Wallabies flanker David Pocock was pinged for a second time for leaving his feet at the breakdown.
The All Blacks were in control at 8-0, but an O’Connor penalty reduced the home team’s lead to five points.
Australia lost prop Sekope Kepu midway through the half when he copped an accidental finger in the eye from a teammate and had to be replaced by James Slipper.
A Cooper drop goal on the half hour kept Australia in the contest at 11-6 down, after Cruden slotted one eight minutes earlier.
A clumsy error from skipper James Horwill allowed Weepu to give the All Blacks their eight-point lead at the interval.
Horwill made a complete hash of a midfield high ball and fullback Adam Ashley-Cooper was penalised for being offside when the ball rebounded straight off his captain’s hand into his.
Weepu penalties in the 43rd and 72nd minutes were the only scores of the second half as the All Blacks squeezed the life out of the Wallabies to extend Australia’s winless record at Eden Park to 25 years.
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Follow how the game unfolded on our live blog.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.