The International Rugby Board says one player tested positive for doping during the World Cup in New Zealand.

The player, whose name or team was undisclosed, has been provisionally suspended by the IRB until the outcome of a hearing.

The world governing body says the player tested positive for a banned painkiller following a match in the final round of the pool phase. His team failed to progress to the knockout stage.

Japan flyhalf Ryohei Yamanaka was banned for two years and Russia prop Evgeny Pronenko for six months for failing doping tests before the tournament.

The IRB conducted a total of 216 urine and 76 blood samples during the tournament, an increase of 80 from the 2007 World Cup.

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw has admitted he was "surprised" that Aurelien Rougerie was not cited for the now-infamous alleged eye-gouge in the World Cup Final.

France centre Rougerie escaped punishment for the incident, despite video evidence suggesting he had a case to answer, because the All Blacks did not lodge a complaint and the footage was revealed outside of the prerequisite 36 hour citing review period.

Speaking at a breakfast fundraiser in Christchurch on Monday, McCaw opened up for the first time on the incident that tainted a thrilling game.

McCaw said the match got "filthy" when he was eye-gouged.

"The French are worse when they are scared ... They were as bad as they have been and were going for the eyes," he said.

"My eye was a bit sore for a while and I was struggling to see for a bit. I was surprised they didn't cite him."

McCaw also revealed the confusion in the All Blacks ranks in the dying minutes of the tightly-fought encounter as they struggled to decided whether kick the ball or keep it in hand.

"Everyone thinks we were all composed out there," McCaw said.

"At least it worked out OK in the end."

The confusion didn't end there as McCaw explained how the unwritten rules about looking after the Webb Ellis Cup were left by the wayside. The cup is never supposed to be alone, no-one is allowed to drink out of it and no-one is allowed to drink near it.

"We broke every single one of them," joked McCaw, adding that one night the cup's lid was misplaced and a player drove for half an hour out of town to find it.

England number eight Nick Easter admits he might have been the player who made the now-infamous money 'down the toilet' comment at the World Cup, but insists his remarks have been taken out of context.

Easter's comments were made public in the leaked review of England's disastrous World Cup campaign in which a number of players said they were shocked by the reaction of some of their team-mates.

While the Harlequins number eight - who had a solid tournament on the field - concedes that he may have been the player who said "there's £35k just gone down the toilet" after the quarter-final defeat to France, his intentions have been misinterpreted.

"I know I didn't say anything for a good hour at least because nobody did. It was like a funeral in there," Easter told the Mail on Sunday as he described the scene in the England dressing room.

"I don't specifically remember saying it but it's possible I did - especially if a number of players have said so. It is the kind of facetious thing I say and people who know me know this.

"I find it very disappointing that a player should make a point of bringing this up in the review, and equally disappointing that it was leaked. I can't understand whoever reported this would believe this was part of my motivation.

"The remark, assuming I said it, has been taken out of context by the player, and subsequently, by the response to it."

Easter claims to be still troubled by the defeat and insists he has never been motivated by money.

"Although being paid is a welcome bonus that professionalism brings, it is the last thing on your mind when you are playing rugby, or you've just experienced a defeat, let alone a World Cup quarter-final defeat," added the 33-year-old.

"I may have said it, but I'd gone through a thousand other thoughts first as I sat in the dressing room numb with shock and despair."

Rugby Players' Association (PRA) chief Damian Hopley wants an investigation into the leaking of reports concerning England's RWC effort in New Zealand.

Players had voluntarily been interviewed following the country's disappointing quarter-final exit to France as the RFU called for answers on the flop.

Their responses criticised senior members of the squad and also team coaches, with The Times releasing the supposed confidential answers.

"I am absolutely devastated that our RPA members' trust has been so publicly betrayed," a furious Hopley told Press Association Sport.

"Players voluntarily took part in these interviews and were critical of themselves, of the coaching team and of the RFU and its leadership. Many comments were understandably robust because the players are committed to getting things right for the future.

"Our players were assured that their feedback would be totally confidential and yet, no sooner has the report been sent to the Board Members, than it appears in a national newspaper.

"If England wants to regain its status as a respected rugby nation, it is imperative that we stop the rot at the top of the game and show some much needed integrity. What example does this set to the game? It is an absolute disgrace.

"We cannot ignore that, once again, there has been a serious breach of confidentiality and we are demanding a detailed investigation to track down the source of the leak and deal appropriately with that person.

"We need to introduce tougher security measures to weed out these self-serving people once and for all."

Former England captain Lewis Moody has given a philosphical response to Wednesday's report in the Times that revealed player feelings at the RWC.

Moody, who skippered England in New Zealand, was left upset that the information was leaked and subsequently felt it necessary to speak out.

"I have seen the stories in today's Times with their interpretation of the leaked post Rugby World Cup (RWC) reviews," he revealed in a statement.

"Once again it is deeply disappointing to see players' feedback aimed at improving England rugby, and which we were promised would remain confidential and anonymous, being put in the public domain for political purposes.

"I have particularly seen those stories about me personally and wanted to comment. Captaining England was, and remains, the ultimate honour for me and I accepted that honour knowing all the scrutiny that came with it.

"I am confident I did the job to the absolute best of my ability but if some of the players thought that was not enough I will have to learn to live with that.

"I have always been my own fiercest critic and have already been honest that there were some things I wish I had done differently at the World Cup, but I have learnt from the experience and hope others can do the same.

"I put my body on the line for the lads, the team and England every time I played and anyone who has watched me play knows that I give everything on the field and have always prioritised rugby ahead of everything else, including financial reward."

Moody continued by standing by his policy as captain at a World Cup tournament that saw James Haskell writing a blog along with releasing video diaries with other England players.

"I have only ever undertaken personal commercial activities in my own time and I'm comfortable I got that balance right at all times," added Moody.

"Where I had to be involved in commercial conversations with the RFU it was as captain, working with the RPA, representing the best interests of the players, not for any personal gain. I do not think anyone who knows me would think differently.

"The next few months will be vital for the English rugby and I hope the opportunity is seized to use player feedback for positive change not negative recriminations and political games.

"I have retired from England and am now focused on Bath Rugby and playing my rugby in the same way I always have - with passion and commitment. It is time we looked forward not back."

England centre Mike Tindall's appeal against the £25,000 fine imposed on him by the Rugby Football Union will be heard on Thursday.

Tindall received the hefty fine and also dropped from the England squad following an RFU investigation into his conduct during a night out in Queenstown during the World Cup.

The 33-year-old, who was England's vice-captain at the tournament, was among a group of players who went out for drinks after being given the night off and he was captured on CCTV footage from the Altitude Bar in conversation with a woman.

The Gloucester stalwart later issued an apology for misleading the England management, having initially claimed he did not go on to another bar.

The Rugby Players' Association described Tindall's fine, which was handed down by the RFU's elite rugby director Rob Andrew, as "extraordinary" and "unprecedented".

Tindall's appeal will be heard by the RFU's acting chief executive Martyn Thomas at Twickenham.

Samoa manager Mathew Vaea was given an extraordinary fine by his home village after allegations he misbehaved at the recent Rugby World Cup.

Leaders in the Pacific island nation's Leauva'a village ordered Mathew Vaea to symbolically pay 100 pigs for tarnishing the chiefly title of "tuala" that had been bestowed on him.

Leauva'a chief Vaifale Iose said Vaea's alleged actions at the tournament, where the national team had a disappointing campaign and failed to reach the quarter-finals, had brought his position into disrepute.

"The title of tuala received bad publicity in the media because tuala Mathew failed to perform some of his duties as the manager for the Manu Samoa," he told the Samoa Observer newspaper.

However, he said rather than physically hand over pigs to the village, Vaea had paid a fine of 2,000 Samoan tala ($840), equivalent to their value, and made a formal apology to village elders.

Samoan captain Mahonri Schwalger last month provided a damning assessment of team officials' conduct during the tournament in a report to Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi.

The skipper said Vaea "did not want to be there" and would disappear for days at a time, accusing him of drinking regularly when he was present and treating the campaign like a holiday.

Tuilaepa, who is also chairman of the Samoa Rugby Union (SRU), ordered a full audit of World Cup funds after receiving the report. The audit is scheduled for release next month.

Since the tournament, the SRU has advertised for a new team manager, as well as a head coach and two assistants.

The SRU has not announced whether Vaea and the other officials whose positions have been advertised still retain their jobs and nobody from the SRU was available Tuesday to clarify the matter.

Wallabies lock Nathan Sharpe has ruled out a big money move overseas and has vowed to finish his career in Australia.

Sharpe, who played in his 100th Test for Australia in the World Cup bronze-medal match with Wales, has been included in the Wallabies' 26-man squad for the end-of-year tour matches against the Barbarians at Twickenham and Wales at Millennium Stadium.

The 33-year-old revealed that unlike fellow Wallabies Luke Burgess and Matt Giteau he will not be looking to cash in overseas.

He has already signed a one-year contract with the Western Force and Australian Rugby Union for next year and will not rule continuing his career in 2013.

"I've looked at it in previous years, but I think that the way things are panning out, I'm pretty comfortable with my transition from rugby to where I'm going in the next stage of my life," Sharpe told AAP.

"That's just a time issue for me so it makes sense for me to stay in Australia.

"Going overseas and chasing some money for a year or two probably doesn't interest me at this stage.

"I'll definitely finish up here in Australia. It just depends on when that's going to be.

"I'll have a look at it next year and make a decision then," he added.

The veteran, who started his Test career in 2002, has also ruled out retiring from international rugby.

"If you've signed with Australian rugby and you play Super Rugby, you're obliged to play international rugby if you get picked, so I'm signed for next year," said Sharpe.

England lock Tom Palmer believes Martin Johnson's decision to resign as coach will be a huge loss to English rugby.

Poor off-field discipline by of some of the players and the team's indifferent performances and early departure at the recent World Cup have been used as reasons for Johnson's decision to quit.

But Palmer said Johnson could still count on the support of his squad members.

"Martin had the unanimous support of all the players, whom I'm sure are as disappointed as I am to learn that he will no longer be in charge," Palmer told The Telegraph.

"It seems senseless to me that a man of such integrity and passion has had to stand aside because of the relentless negative portrayal of the England team due to the misjudgment of a few players who should have known better.

"I believe he had more to offer and had he stayed he would have been able to turn things around and prove himself to be as successful a coach as he was a player.

"He had, after all, been at the helm when we won the Six Nations earlier in the year. I'm certain we could all have learned from the mistakes made at the World Cup and he would have been able to bring the best out of a talented group of players and return us to winning ways.

"His rugby knowledge is vast and he is hugely respected by all the players, mainly because everything he asked of us, we knew he had done himself. He had great player empathy and he managed to impart his experience in such a way that whenever he spoke you knew he was talking sense," he added.

Lewis Moody, who retired shortly after England's World Cup campaign, echoed Palmer's sentiments.

"I am genuinely gutted for Martin and the team to hear that he has decided not to continue in the role," said Moody.

"Having taken England to a Six Nations win for the first time in eight years and achieved 10 out of 13 wins this season, he has been a great asset to England, and in my eyes was the right man for the job - to take them forward to 2015.

"He was a great man to work with and under, and I know that the rest of the team will agree that he will be sorely missed. I wish him all the best in whatever he goes on to do."

Former England boss Dick Greenwood believes Martin Johnson was let down by the 'juvenile' behaviour of some of his players at the Rugby World Cup.

Johnson, who resigned on Wednesday following England's miserable quarter-final loss to France, also would have been the last person to want to take the team forward, according to Greenwood.

And speaking before the World Cup-winning captain brought an end to his tenure, on 38 games, the veteran offered his sympathy.

"I feel that his personal way - his high standards - haven't been matched by some of the juveniles in the current squad. I would think he's been badly damaged by what has happened in New Zealand," he said before the resignation.

"In his current frame of mind I would imagine he would be the last person who would want to do it (take England through to the 2015 World Cup)."

Greenwood, who coached England between 1983 and 1985, said that Johnson's 2011 World Cup squad had let themselves down both on and off the pitch in New Zealand.

"If they haven't woken up to the fact that we're in a Facebook, Twitter and paparazzi society, then they're mugs. Some of their behaviour was juvenile," he continued.

"You want two sorts of people in a team; one who have real clarity of thought and brains and the other who have brains in their boots. You've got to have thinking players.

"The current crop has seriously let themselves down as players with very poor imaginations."

Father of 2003 World Cup winning centre Will, Greenwood senior, who won five international caps in the 1960s, also suggested that Johnson had struggled to convert his leadership qualities as a player into his management role.

"It is well known that Martin made an art form out of saying nothing extremely well. All he had to do was stand in the middle and because of his aura and the power of his personality as a rugby player he was a god among men," he added.

"But that relies on his ability to lead by example. How can he lead by example sitting in a seat up in a stand? So his greatest strength wasn't available to him as a coach."

With speculation rife about who is going to step in, Greenwood alluded to the fact that the RFU may have missed a trick by not approaching Shaun Edwards.

"He would have been an outstanding capture," he said about the former England and Great Britain rugby league international who is the Wales defence coach.

"But it raises a whole series of other issues. Who was there (at the RFU) who had the authority or the gumption to go and capture him? No-one was there to physically go and convince him to take the job."

And while the RFU begins its search for candidates to succeed Johnson, they need not venture too far for an effective model on which to base their squad, according to the 71-year-old former England captain:

"The model at the moment is Wales. A young group bolstered by experience with some outstanding players. They've got some wonderful youngsters; (Rhys) Priestland at fly-half and (Luke) Charteris and (Sam) Warburton in the pack," he said.

"Will they last until 2015? It will be interesting to see but we are full of admiration for how they present a modern Welsh version of how to play the game."

Dick Greenwood supports Wooden Spoon, the charity of British and Irish Rugby that is dedicated to helping underprivileged children and young people all over the UK and Ireland.

By James Illingworth

England coach Martin Johnson has resigned after the team's disappointing World Cup campaign.

His contract was due to expire at the end of the year and after taking time to consider his future, Johnson informed the Rugby Football Union of his intention to stand down.

Johnson's decision follows a miserable World Cup which ended with a 19-12 quarter-final defeat to France and featured a series of on and off-field controversies.

The forty-one-year-old, who captained England to victory at the 2003 World Cup, took over the reins following Brian Ashton's departure and in 38 matches in charge he guided England to 21 victories.

Johnson and the Rugby Football Union's director of elite rugby Rob Andrew will hold a press conference on Wednesday at 1600 GMT.

More to follow...

England's drunken night out during the World Cup, which could cost veteran centre Mike Tindall his Test career, was part-funded by the Rugby Football Union, according to reports.

Several British newspapers carried an e-mail from England team operations manager Tom Stokes to the squad saying an area of Queenstown's Pub in the Wharf had been reserved for the players, including the comment "yes, there is a tab".

The latest revelations provided fresh embarrassment for the RFU, English rugby's governing body, who have been without a permanent chief executive for several months as a result of internal wrangling between various members of the Twickenham hierarchy.

England endured a shambolic World Cup campaign in New Zealand, with their quarter-final exit being overshadowed by numerous lurid tales about poor off-field behaviour.

The most high-profile concerned the evening in Queenstown where leaked security footage showed Tindall, recently married to Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter Zara Phillips, in conversation and being kissed on the head by a woman.

Last week Gloucester centre Tindall, a member of the England side captained by now team manager Martin Johnson that won the 2003 World Cup, was fined £25 000 and dropped from the elite player squad in a move that appeared to signal the end of his international career.

But the punishment inflicted upon Tindall was in marked contrast to the lack of action taken against him in New Zealand.

Johnson, who was asked to consider his position by officials following the team's quarter-final defeat by France, tried to play down the incident by saying at the time "rugby player drinks beer, shocker."

But it later emerged Tindall, who went on from the Pub on the Wharf to Queenstown's Altitude Bar, had not initially told the England management the whole story of his movements that night.

Tindall, who is appealing his fine, had led England - in the absence of the injured Lewis Moody - to a come-from-behind win in their opening World Cup group match against Argentina in Dunedin the day before the night out in Queenstown.

Former England scrum-half Matt Dawson, in a column for the Daily Mail, labelled Tindall's fine "crazy" and said England were now the laughing stock of world rugby union.

"Senior figures around the world cannot believe how England have spontaneously combusted," the World Cup winner said.

"And the fine for Mike continues that trend of the past few months.

"After all, Manu Tuilagi jumped off a ferry into Auckland harbour, which endangered not only his own life but could have caused injury to others.

"But he has been fined only £3,000 while Mike has been docked this huge sum. Where's the consistency?"

"If they (the RFU) wanted to show they were in control they should have sent him home there and then."

Meanwhile, the RFU's attempts to review the World Cup campaign and the England set-up have been beset by bungling.

Former England prop Fran Cotton was asked to head up an inquiry but this was shelved when, shortly after his appointment, he gave a newspaper interview where he labelled Tindall's conduct "indefensible".

RFU Director of Rugby Operations Rob Andrew has been conducting his own review, although his own role in the England set-up is also set to be discussed at the latest meeting of England's Professional Game Board on Thursday.

The board, which includes representatives from the RFU, the Premiership clubs and England's Rugby Players' Association, will present its recommendations to the RFU board on November 30.

Irish referee Alain Rolland has insisted he had no regrets in sending off Wales captain Sam Warburton during last month's World Cup semi-final against France.

Rolland was effectively accused by Wales coach Warren Gatland of costing his side the game when he sent off Warburton just 19 minutes into the match following the flanker's tip tackle on Vincent Clerc that saw the wing land on his head at Auckland's Eden Park.

The French went on to win 9-8.

Rolland was widely criticised by a host of former rugby internationals as well as numerous Welsh fans, for 'ruining' the match by dismissing Warburton.

But former Wales scrum-half Robert Jones made the point that, under the regulations drawn up by the International Rugby Board (IRB) regarding dangerous tackling, Rolland had little choice and the intention of Warburton, widely praised for the way he led Wales to the last four, was irrelevant.

It was a point taken up by Rolland, who told the Western Mail: "If I had to do it all over again I would do the same thing.

"I don't think it needs to be vindicated full stop.

"The important part for referees, no matter what sport it is, is to take the emotion out of it," the experienced Rolland, who refereed the 2007 World Cup final, added.

"We can only officiate on the action itself and what he did merited what happened next because it was dangerous.

"Did he mean to do it? Was it intentional or unintentional?

"We don't officiate on intention, we officiate on the action itself.

"Unfortunately, what had happened gave me no option but to do what I did.

"Any time you make a decision, 50 per cent of the people think it is a great call and 50 per cent of the people say 'How did he come to that decision?'. That is just the way it is."

"The thing you have to remember is that straight after the game there was huge emotion everywhere, which is understandable," he added

"But in time, maybe in 10 or 15 years, it might calm itself down."

Earlier this month Warburton, now one of the world's leading back-rows, admitted he deserved his red card and an impressed Rolland said: "To be fair to Sam, I think it is a true measure of the man he is.

"I don't think he had to come out to say anything and I didn't really care one way or the other because what happened, happened.

"I think for the game in general it was a very good comment by Sam because parents looking on would be happy to see he came out and said what he said, which might make the game a bit safer."

Hosts New Zealand won the World Cup after a nailbiting 8-7 win over France in the final while Wales finished fourth after losing in the third place play-off to Australia.

Gloucester centre Mike Tindall has been removed from England's elite player squad after an investigation into his behaviour at the World Cup.

The veteran back has also been fined £25,000 for his part in an infamous night out in Queenstown. Chris Ashton and James Haskell were both fined £5,000 while Dylan Hartley was cleared.

The sanctions follow appearances by the players before the RFU's Professional Rugby Director Rob Andrew and Legal and Governance Director Karena Vleck.

"We have considered all the evidence carefully and interviewed the players at length. These actions have not been taken lightly but we believe that in all these cases the sanctions are commensurate with the level of seriousness of what occurred," said Andrew.

"Mike Tindall's actions reached a level of misconduct that was unacceptable in a senior England player and amounted to a very serious breach of the EPS Code of Conduct. Whilst we acknowledge his previous good character it needs to be made clear that what he did will not be tolerated.

"Regarding the events in Dunedin, it should be stressed that the allegations of very serious wrong-doing made against Chris Ashton, Dylan Hartley and James Haskell by Annabel Newton, a member of staff at the team hotel, were entirely false. We do not believe the players had any intention to sexually harass or intimidate Ms Newton.

"However, the incident is precisely the kind of dangerous, compromising situation the players were warned about prior to departure for New Zealand and that they were specifically told to avoid in the EPS Code of Conduct.

"While we found that Dylan Hartley played no part in the ill-considered exchange with Annabel Newton, Chris Ashton and James Haskell's behaviour on September 9 did breach the EPS Code of Conduct and they have each been given suspended fines of £5,000. If they commit any further breaches of the Code before December 31, 2012 the fines will become due.

"Finally, these episodes and the subsequent disciplinary action should stand as a strong reminder that the highest standards of personal conduct are expected from any England player on and off the field."

The players have the right to appeal to the RFU Acting Chief Executive within three working days from today. The RFU will not be making any further comment.

Shaun Edwards believes Wales would have beaten New Zealand and won the World Cup if they had not been reduced to 14 men in the semi-finals.

Warren Gatland's troops lost their semi-final 8-7 to France after their captain Sam Warburton received a red card from referee Alain Rolland for a tip tackle on Vincent Clerc.

But Edwards, who is Wales' defence coach, thinks they would have beaten the All Blacks if they made it to the final because they possessed too much raw power in the backline.

"When I'm old and grey sitting in my rocking chair, I will look back and say yes we did well, but it was a missed opportunity not to come home with a gold medal," he told Wales Online.

"It was massively disappointing, I mean particularly looking at how the final went, New Zealand were there for the taking.

"I just think had we got into the final, given the size of our team, we could have matched them," he added.

Edwards revealed that Wales would have drawn up battle plans to expose what they saw as weaknesses in the All Blacks' back-line, relying on Jamie Roberts, George North, Mike Phillips and Jonathan Davies to crash through.

"To be going into a game where your team is bigger than the New Zealanders is very unusual. Bar South Africa, it just doesn't happen," he explained.

"I just believed with having three backs over 105 kilograms, had we come up against the likes of Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu and potentially Sonny Bill, we would brought it right to them... it would have been a great match-up."

Edwards, who resigned as Wasps' head coach last week, is wanted by England, Wales and the Cardiff Blues.

But he gave little away about his coaching future other than to say he wanted to be with the British and Irish Lions again in 2013.

"I have a totally open mind about what I do next, but a really, really big goal of mine is to win a Lions campaign," he said.

"I want to be involved in a winning tour. We came so close the last time but it's a massive ambition of mine."

Sale have secured the loan signing of Leinster scrum-half Cillian Willis, who joins the club as cover for the injured Dwayne Peel and Scott Mathie.

The busy 26-year-old scrum-half joins Edgeley Park until the end of the season and made his debut late on against Saracens last weekend.

Injuries to Peel and Mathie meant that Will Cliff was their only remaining fit number nine so Sale executive director of sport Steve Diamond acted promptly to bring in Brian O'Driscoll's cousin.

Jonny Wilkinson was so upset with criticism of his performances for England that he contemplated retiring from Test rugby a year before the World Cup.

The fly-half said he met with manager Martin Johnson for four hours in October 2010 to discuss the possibility of quitting after 12 years with the national side.

"With England, my confidence had just disappeared," Wilkinson said.

"I feel lower than I have ever felt before.

"The thought of not playing for England again makes me sick, but I simply do not know if I can carry on."

Wilkinson was widely cited in British media as a key reason for England's often dour performances under Johnson, with critics referring to his deep positioning, kicking game and supposed tactical inflexibility.

Toby Flood replaced Wilkinson for the final game of England's 2010 Six Nations campaign and was lauded for his role in a narrow defeat to eventual champion France in Paris.

"In the media, I became a scapegoat for our performances in the Six Nations," Wilkinson wrote in his autobiography.

"And it seemed to me that people were happy enough for it to be that way."

Johnson and backs coach Brian Smith persuaded Wilkinson to carry on and he began the World Cup in September this year as first-choice fly-half.

But England slumped badly and was eliminated from the quarter-finals by France, with Wilkinson's usually metronomically accurate place-kicking hindered by what he still maintains were substandard match balls.

Wilkinson's ire extended to many of his teammates, who spurned Johnson's instructions to take unnecessary risks against Georgia. The veteran flyhalf stood up at a team meeting to address the squad and give them his opinions.

"There are individuals playing for themselves, not showing respect for the opposition, throwing unnecessary fancy passes, not playing for one another," Wilkinson said.

"I say there are things we're doing in training that we're not doing in games and mistakes we're making that we're not correcting.

"Unfortunately what that means is that the other 29 guys in the squad don't matter enough to you."

Wilkinson also criticised his team-mates over the drinking session that ended with lurid tabloid headlines speculating about whether centre Mike Tindall cheated on new wife Zara Phillips - granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II.

"What I cannot understand is the naivety of people going out to the extent they did and it not crossing their minds it would find its way back to the media," Wilkinson said.

"We've already been warned several times about what it's like here, especially in the World Cup.

"You need to be a little reserved, careful, aware. With a camera on pretty much every phone these days, how could it not come back?"

The IRB confirmed that no action can be taken to initiate a citing case following an alleged act of foul play during the RWC Final.

French centre Aurelien Rougerie was accused of eye-gouging All Blacks captain Richie McCaw in the closing minutes of the match.

The Independent citing commissioner Scott Nowland (Australia) undertook an investigation following the release of new television footage outside of the 36 hour citing review period that indicated a possible act of foul play involving contact with the eye or eye area had taken place.

In his original review of the match using all camera angles provided at the time by the host broadcaster Sky NZ, the Citing Commissioner had determined that there were no aspects of the match that warranted investigation for foul play.

Neither the France or New Zealand teams referred an alleged incident to the Citing Commissioner to be reviewed.

Nowland has determined that he cannot cite the alleged act of foul play as the footage emerged outside the citing period and he is unable to bring the matter within the exceptional circumstances provisions contained in the Tournament Disciplinary Rules which deal principally with mistaken identity and where further time is required to identify a player who may have committed an act of foul play.

Both Unions have been advised of the outcome.

The IRB and Rugby World Cup Limited take all acts of foul play seriously.

The ongoing review of Regulation 17 governing the disciplinary process will give consideration to Tournament Rules and IRB Regulations to consider either extending the citing periods or widening the remit of the exceptional circumstance provisions to deal with the emergence of evidential materials following the elapse of the citing period.

With thanks to the IRB

England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson has slammed World Cup organisers for the inconsistent tournament balls used during the competition.

Wilkinson struggled with his goalkicking in New Zealand and attributed the unpredictable behaviour of the match balls as the root of the problem.

He revealed in his autobiography, which is being serialised in The Times, that the match balls were a "joke" because of their inconsistent movement - something that could not be blamed on the weather as England played three of their pool games in the enclosed Otago Stadium.

England kicking coach Dave Alred and conditioning coach Paul Stridgeon were banned from England's pool game against Scotland at Eden Park after they switched the balls used for conversions during the win over Romania.

The pivot described the different flight of the practice balls and the match balls and how the unpredictability derailed his game.

"My feeling is that it's just horribly unprofessional and an extremely bitter pill to swallow that, at the biggest tournament in the sport, we're having to deal with this," Wilkinson said.

"Again and again I'm hitting the same kick every time but it's non-match ball straight through the middle, match ball to the right.

"The problem is that when you feel like you're smashing it and the feedback is telling you that everything is great, yet the ball is swinging both ways and missing one way and then the other, you're left with a very difficult situation. From then on it's a joke.

"The organisers claim that all the balls are the same, but they're not. If they were they wouldn't be doing this."

Wilkinson had refused to comment on the ball-switch issue during the World Cup but now admits he desperately wanted to avoid using certain balls against Romania.

"It's not exactly surprising that I wouldn't want a ball that flies miles from where it's supposed to," he added.

"I'm sick to my stomach of thinking about how hard I've practised kicking over all those years and what little good it has done me at such an important time.

"It angers me."

Peter de Villiers announced that he will re-apply for the Springbok coaching job when his current contract expires.

De Villiers caused confusion after South Africa's quarter-final defeat to Australia at the World Cup, when he announced that he had come to the end of the road with his team.

However when the former world champions arrived in South Africa, he said he had not resigned.

De Villiers cleared up some of that confusion by saying the comments made after the loss to the Wallabies, was just him admitting that it had been his final match in his contracted period - which expires next month.

"When I signed in 2008 I signed until the end of 2011, I always knew that, so it had to be the end of the road for me in terms of what I was contracted to do," De Villiers told Supersport.

"To me there was no confusion, and I don't see myself as fighting with anybody - I was contracted for four years, and the four years is now over. I always knew that would be the case.

"My attitude has always been that no-one has the right to be Bok coach, that it is a caretaker position.

"After December I am not Bok coach anymore. That is not a problem to me, that was always going to be the case.

"There were no more games for the Boks this year after the quarter-final, so as far as the public were concerned, the World Cup quarter-final was the end of my stint as Bok coach. That is what I was trying to say," he added.

After four years at the helm, De Villiers believes he is capable to continue as Springbok coach and the way the team lost their crown at the World Cup makes him eager to do this.

"Not winning the World Cup makes me feel like there is unfinished business, that the story isn't finished," he explained.

"So if they call for applications for the Springbok job I will definitely apply for it. Why not? I have enjoyed doing the job and it was a privilege for me to serve my country.

"If I apply and my application is not accepted that is fine, I will accept what is good for South African rugby and move on. The next coach will have my full support."

South Africa dominated that World Cup match against Australia but still ended on the losing side and De Villiers seems motivated to make up for that result.

"I don't want to make excuses. We got knocked out and as I said when we got back from overseas, a quarter-final defeat wasn't good enough and we failed the nation," he said.

"But what was so frustrating was that we appeared to be peaking at the right time, and there was still room for further growth. I feel the story has been left unfinished.

"I made a lot of mistakes along the way, but you learn from those mistakes, and I believe that I have learned sufficiently that if I was to get a chance to do it again, I wouldn't make those same mistakes again.

"When you first take the job there is so much that is new, there is so much you have to get used to in terms of international rugby and the Springbok culture.

"I believe I have something to offer, but that would be up to SARU to decide. I am just saying I am available and will apply for the job if applications are asked for. I love serving my country."

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw is to undergo surgery on his injured foot and will miss the opening rounds of the Super Rugby competition.

McCaw was troubled throughout this year by a screw inserted in his right foot during surgery on a stress fracture, and did not take a full part in training during the Rugby World Cup to avoid aggravating it.

Following the All Blacks' cliffhanger 8-7 win over France in the RWC final last month, the flanker had a scan on the foot and has seen a specialist.

Team doctor Deb Robinson said it has been decided to remove the screw.

"While the initial stress fracture in his foot has partially healed, the scan revealed that there is an area of bone stress around the screw," she said.

"The best option for him is to have surgery to have the screw removed. He will also have some bone grafting done and then his foot will be left alone to heal."

The All Blacks talisman will have the operation later this month and Robinson said no timeline had been set for his return to rugby.

"Following the surgery, Richie will be in plaster for two weeks and then a moonboot for a month," she said.

"After around 10 to 12 weeks he will be able to start running and then will gradually return to rugby training."

Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder has resigned himself to starting the next Super Rugby season without his captain as well as fly-half Dan Carter, who suffered a groin injury in the World Cup.

While Carter's injury was unforeseen, Blackadder said McCaw should probably not have played in the tournament at all.

"He was lucky they didn't X-ray him because it will probably have confirmed he shouldn't have been (playing)," he said.

McCaw, who became the first All Black to play 100 Tests in the 37-17 World Cup pool victory over France, missed the first two months of Super Rugby this year after having the screw inserted in his foot.

Wales captain Sam Warburton admitted that referee Alain Rolland had made the right call by giving him a red card during the World Cup semi-final against France.

The 23-year-old flanker was sent off after just 17 minutes of Wales' 9-8 loss to France for a tip tackle on Vincent Clerc.

And although the Irish official was blasted by coach Warren Gatland and the Welsh camp, Warburton - currently serving a three-week ban for the tackle - admitted that he had no complaints about the decision after seeing replays.

"I have seen it played back, the tackle is a lot uglier than I thought it was at the time. When I looked at it on the replays it looked worse than I thought it was," said Warburton.

"I didn't intend it to look like that and I had only had a yellow card in my career so it was a shock to get a red, but there was nothing I could do and I just had to support the boys for the rest of that game and the forthcoming fixture.

"At the end of the day the IRB said if you lift up a player and drop him it's a red card, and that's exactly what I did. I can't complain. There was no point in appealing against it and I didn't have a leg to stand on really."

And Warburton said he was looking to follow the example of former England international David Beckham to ensure that the sending-off does not become the defining moment of his career as the footballer did when he was red carded at the 1998 football World Cup.

Despite being vilified Los Angeles Galaxy's Beckham put his dismissal for kicking Argentina's Diego Simeone behind him with the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and AC Milan player going on to become England's most capped outfield player.

"I hope it's not what I am remembered for, but if in a year's time or 10 years' time people are still talking about it then maybe it will be," said Warburton.

"It's one of those moments that has happened and hopefully I can build some better memories, whether it is for Cardiff or Wales.

"People will remember it, it was a massive event in rugby, but it's just sport. Those things happen. But David Beckham is remembered for a lot of other things other than his red card against Argentina.

"Things like that happen and it's up to myself to be positive in the future and create some better memories."

Australia will play three Tests against Wales and a one-off international with Scotland at home in June next year.

The Wallabies start with Scotland in Newcastle, some 125 kilometres (80 miles) north of Sydney.

That match will be the first meeting between the two teams since the Scots defeated Australia 9-8 at Murrayfield in Edinburgh in 2009, a win that saw them break a 27-year, 16-game losing streak.

Following the Newcastle showdown, Australia will play three Tests on successive Saturdays against Wales, whom they beat 21-18 in last month's World Cup third-place game in New Zealand.

The games will take place at Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

It will be the first time since 2001 - when the British and Irish Lions toured Australia - that the Wallabies have played a European heavyweight in a three-Test series across the traditional June window Down Under.

"A return to a three-Test series as we will play against Wales is an opportunity to build anticipation, excitement and momentum during the course of the tour," said Australian Rugby Union chief John O'Neill.

"It is a long time since we have had that opportunity, to experience a heavyweight northern hemisphere opponent in our backyard for three Tests.

"I'm delighted too that Wales will be that opponent in 2012. I think all Australians understand what the Welsh are capable of in terms of exciting and attacking rugby."

O'Neill added that the addition of Scotland to the June Test window was also significant.

"Newcastle has a wonderful history as a nursery for Wallabies stars, the most recent of them being Luke Burgess," he said.

"So to take a Test to the area is a fitting reward for the contribution Newcastle and the region has made over a long period of time."

New Italy coach Jacques Brunel said his team must quickly reach a level that will enable them to compete for the Six Nations title.

The Frenchman was unveiled in his new post on Thursday and immediately spoke of his belief in the team's potential.

Italy have competed in 12 Six Nations tournaments but have finished bottom nine times, finishing above the bottom two only once.

In 60 matches they have won only eight, drawing one and losing 51 times, yet Brunel is not discouraged by such inglorious history.

"The team has potential, they've been progressing for several years and I hope to develop this progress even more," he said.

"In the next two to three years we need to arrive in a position in which we are able to win the Six Nations and at the end of the four-year cycle to be in the first six in the world.

"That will require a lot of work, we have to keep our strengths and find a better balance with these strengths, but I believe strongly in this team."

In order to achieve such success the former Perpignan coach believes more work needs to be done at youth level.

"The national team needs to carry the flame for the whole of Italian rugby, it's a shop window for Italian rugby so we are obliged to get results," said Brunel.

"We need to provide the ambition for the whole of Italian rugby but we also need to find a way of doing so and for that we need an identity.

"There needs to be collaboration between the different levels so that what we put into it allows us to get results not just for tomorrow but also for after tomorrow.

"The influence we have on young players will determine the future of Italian rugby."

One of the issues that South African predecessor Nick Mallet always had was his difficulty in finding a top level half-back pairing.

Towards the end of his reign Mallett was fortunate enough to discover two talented young scrum-halves in Eduardo Gori and Fabio Semenzato but he never found a solution to his fly-half issues.

And Mallet also complained that despite the Italian Federation financially assisting the two Celtic League franchises (Treviso and Aironi) neither of them fielded an Italian number 10.

That's something Brunel wants to change.

"I can't say the same about the number nine and 10," said Brunel.

"Today at nine we have lots of good players, there are three or four who could play at international level.

"There's been a great search in the last few years for a top level 10 but all the teams in the world are looking for this.

"The problem we have today which bothers me is that (Riccardo) Bocchino isn't playing at the top level in Italian rugby in the franchises.

"That's a little bothersome. We can see things differently at number nine where we have good players but at 10 we need to give young players more possibility to play at the top level.

"There's (Luciano) Orquera but we will look for other players who can play at this level.

"But I have to say that all teams have this (problem) apart from New Zealand because they found (Dan) Carter.

"There is potential, there are those I know of who've already played for the national team but there's perhaps potential that I don't know about in the clubs.

"It's up to us to give confidence to those are who are here now and to prepare the future to find the players of tomorrow.

"We need to exploit our present strengths right now and to prepare for tomorrow we must obviously go regularly to work with the clubs."

Rugby Football Union acting CEO Martyn Thomas will leave HQ next month at the conclusion of his contract as part of a structural review.

The news comes following the English team's dismal 2011 Rugby World Cup showings.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the RFU said that Stephen Brown will continue as chief financial officer as well as take over on December 16 from Thomas, who will also step down from the IRB Council, Six Nations Committee and the chairmanship of England Rugby 2015.

Earlier on Wednesday, Miles Templeman and Andrew Higginson were named as independent non-executive directors to the RFU's board.

Team Manager Martin Johnson is expected to overhaul his support staff if he wants to keep his job following England's quarter-final exit to France.

In the aftermath of their RWC, Samoa Rugby Union is on the hunt for a Head Coach, two Assistant Coaches (Back and Forward) and a Team Manager.

Titimaea Tafua, boss from their recent campaign in New Zealand, will step down from his position.

SRU released the statement on Thursday, with the successful applicants required to lead Samoa through its National and International programme starting January 2012. They will be required to develop and implement a four-year plan culminating in the 2015 RWC in England. The new management group will be responsible for the identification, recruitment and nurturing of potential Manu Samoa players worldwide.

All four positions are two-year appointments with the opportunity of a further two-year term extension subject to annual performance reviews.

As we do after every big international tournament, we take a look at the state of affairs in each of rugby's leading nations. Next up, New Zealand.

World Cup ambitions v results:

As has almost always been the case, New Zealand started the tournament as favourites, but for the first time in 24 years they were able to live up to their billing and claim their second Rugby World Cup title. In previous attempts the All Blacks had often become their own worst enemy, letting the William Webb Ellis trophy slip out of their grasp.

Now, after two decades of disappointment, New Zealand can call themselves World Champions again - ridding themselves of the 'chokers' tag in the process.

In 1987 New Zealand hosted the first World Cup and simply blew everyone away. This year wasn't any different, with the men in black picking up easy wins over Tonga, Japan and France in the group stages - during which they lost star fly-half Dan Carter to injury - before sweeping past Argentina and Australia in the quarter-final and semi-finals respectively.

With a rematch against the French in the final, everyone predicted one-way traffic with the wee yellow cup all but won before a ball had been kicked or a tackle made. How wrong were we?!

Most teams that have won the World Cup have had to dig themselves out of a hole. At some time, in some match, the world champions-to-be have found themselves on the ropes and that time was in the 2011 RWC Final for New Zealand, who up until then, didn't need to dig themselves out of any holes.

Frustrated at not being able to play their fluent style against a dogged French side, the All Blacks hunkered down and relied on their defence to claim a heart-stopping 8-7 World Cup final win - the lowest scoring final in RWC history.

The changing of the guard:

After 103 Tests in charge over eight years, Graham Henry confirmed one of the worst-kept secrets in rugby when announcing he was retiring as New Zealand coach. He retires as one of the most successful rugby coaches ever - his winning record of 88 victories from over a century of Tests (85.4 per cent) is the best of any international coach in the professional era.

For the sake of coaching continuity, Henry has thrown his weight behind appointing his assistant Steve Hansen as the man to lead the side forward while he and Wayne Smith move into other work.

It's hard to argue against appointing Hansen - besides his priceless experience, the former Wales boss has strong relationships with the players, a natural feel for the game and a will to win. It's his assistants, however, that will be up for more debate with ex-Chiefs coach Ian Foster reportedly in the mix.

So with the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) in all probability set to keep a World Cup-winning coach, what about their World Cup-winning players?

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw has no intent of abandoning the sport having already re-signed with the NZRU for another four years. However, in 2015 the openside flanker will be 34 and just how much more punishment his body can absorb is questionable.

The three-time IRB Player of the Year faces serious challenges to remain a force at the top level. Given his injuries - frequent concussions are a real concern and he was hampered by a painful foot problem throughout this season which nearly cost him a chance at the World Cup. But be that as it may, the New Zealand rugby public would prefer to have an injured McCaw in their own backyard than an injured McCaw overseas.

So with McCaw in for the long run, All Blacks fans will be relieved that the mass exodus of players to Europe or Japan hasn't come close as to the amount of internationals that left the Land of the Long White Cloud after the 2007 World Cup.

The NZRU did their homework and were well prepared this time round, securing their playing resources well before the World Cup kicked off.

Playmaker Daniel Carter, hookers Keven Mealamu, Andrew Hore, Corey Flynn and Hikawera Elliot, the All Blacks most capped prop Tony Woodcock and fellow props Ben Franks, Owen Franks and Wyatt Crockett, locks Ali Williams, Anthony Boric, Tom Donnelly, Jarrad Hoeata and Samuel Whitelock, loose forwards Jerome Kaino, Kieran Read, Daniel Braid, Liam Messam, Adam Thomson and Victor Vito, and backs Jimmy Cowan, Piri Weepu, Andy Ellis, Alby Mathewson, Colin Slade, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Benson Stanley, Ben Smith, Israel Dagg, Rene Ranger, Richard Kahui, Isaia Toeava, Zac Guildford and Aaron Cruden.... all staying!

Looking into the crystal ball:

They came, they saw, they conquered.

Now the big question is: can they do it again?

The All Blacks have World Cup bragging rights for the next four years, but that's not as important as winning the next Test and then the one after that and cementing their lead as the top ranked rugby nation on earth.

Indeed, the hard part of being World Champions is maintaining the status of world beaters - something we think New Zealand won't have trouble with as previous World Cup-winning nations.

The All Blacks have always been the team to beat, even more so now that they are officially the best of the best which means every nation will want to have a crack at bringing the world champs back down to earth.

At the moment they are light years ahead of most teams, and - as always - will be a tough nut to crack as they build towards the next World Cup in 2015. Look for new All Blacks arriving and aiming to be part of that four-year journey as early as next year. Then the fun really starts.

Four years is a long time, as All Black fans have come to appreciate. So for the time being, New Zealand will savour this moment until they reopen for business.

Gloucester's Samoan centre Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu is in trouble again after he threatened Saracens' Owen Farrell in an outburst on Twitter.

Fuimaono-Sapolu could face a six-month ban after calling Farella "p***** s***" and telling the young fly-half he would not be welcome in Samoa.

This after Saracens beat Gloucester 19-17 in a fiercly contested Aviva Premiership clash at Kingsholm on Saturday.

The controversial midfielder tweeted: "To young rugby players do not be arrogant. If you want to be tough on the field make sure you back it up off it. #farrell

"Love it when players talk big on the field in front of the camera. I like to see if they still talk big off the field when no cameras around.

"Raised in New Zealand and Samoa, I've never heard that s**t before ever. Good luck bro when you tour round my parts.

"What goes on the pitch stays on the pitch? Don't use the pitch to showcase your FAKE toughness you p**** s***."

Fuimaono-Sapolu's rants on Twitter are well documented.

He was banned banned for six months - suspended for two years - by Judge Jeff Blackett after accusing referee Nigel Owens on the social network of racism after Samoa's World Cup loss to South Africa.

He was charged with breaching the IRB's code of conduct and told the ban was suspended on conditions that included him aplogising to Owens, completing a refereeing course and 100 hours of community work in Samoa.

During the hearing he was told by Blackett that failure to adhere to any one of those conditions, or any further public criticism that brings the game into disrepute, would activate the suspension immediately.

Earlier in the tournament he received a warning after he compared Samoa's match schedule to the holocaust, apartheid and slavery.

And this is not the first time he has tweeted abuse at Farrell.

After Saracens beat Gloucester in last season's Premiership semi-final Fuimaono-Sapolu taunted Saracens for being 'horribly boring' and likened Farrell's tactical kicking in that clash to the assassination of Osama Bin Laden.

"The only semi final that can't sell out! Exciting Saracens. Farrell put more bombs on us than the U.S did on Osama Bin Laden. Genocide," he tweeted.

The RFU are looking in to the 30-year-old qualified lawyer's latest outburst and Saracens' director of rugby Mark McCall confirmed that his club is also investigating it.

"We are aware of it. The club is looking into it. It's obviously a little disappointing. I don't really want to comment on it further as it would be inappropriate," McCall told the Daily Mail.

Gloucester coach Bryan Redpath said he wanted to talk Fuimaono-Sapolu first before commenting.

"I need to find out the truth of what's been said," he said.

"It's easy to jump on one person. We need to find out who and what was said."

Outgoing All Blacks coach Graham Henry has nominated his assistant Steve Hansen as the man who should replace him.

Henry and Hansen guided New Zealand to victory in the World Cup along with Wayne Smith, who has already announced that he will be involved with the Chiefs in an advisory role next season.

The trio were reappointed in 2007 after the All Blacks were knocked out at the World Cup quarter-finals and repaid the faith shown in them by winning the 2011 tournament.

Henry argued for continuity in the role as All Blacks coach, saying a complete change will mean lessons learnt from past experience would be lost if a completely new coaching team was appointed.

"So I think Steve Hansen should do the job," he told NZ Newswire.

"It's my personal opinion and it does give us continuity from what has happened over the last eight years and what goes for the future, and I think that's very important for any sporting team of this type," added Henry.

He said Hansen has a natural feel for the game, has a good relationship with the players and "wants to win, which is hell of a important".

It has been rumoured that Hansen will submit a coaching team including former Chiefs coach Ian Foster as his assistant and All Blacks skills coach Mick Byrne.

New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) chief executive Steve Tew said the union wanted to appoint the All Blacks head coach first and to have that done by Christmas.

"Then we'll take a deep breath and see where we're at," he said.

"We've asked the candidates to come with a full package, but that doesn't mean that package will be appointed en masse."

Tew said it could be that the candidates for assistant coach position would also have to go through a full interview and selection process.

As we do after every big international tournament, we take a look at the state of affairs in each of rugby's leading nations. Next up, Scotland.

World Cup ambitions v results:

In their previous six World Cup appearances the Scots have never failed to make it to the quarter-finals... until now. Two unconvincing wins coupled with two close defeats saw Scotland miss out on the knockout games for the first time. Some would say deservedly so, others not. But one thing we can all agree on, is that Scotland had their chances and they blew it.

Crossing the tryline has been the Scots' biggest problem in recent times and nothing changed at the 2011 World Cup. Besides scoring four tries in their opening come-from-behind win over Romania, they failed to cross the whitewash in their final three matches against Georgia, Argentina and England.

Their defence also let them down in a tight fixture against Argentina, when replacement Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino skipped through four tackles, turning a fairly innocuous attack into a try.

Scotland's heartbreaking 13-12 defeat meant they had to conquer the unbeaten English by eight points or more to prevent their Six Nations rivals from gaining a bonus point which would then ensure Andy Robinson's men a spot in the knock-out phase.

Against all odds, Scotland looked like doing the impossible at Eden Park in what was one of the clashes of the tournament. But the rest, as they say, is now history...

The changing of the guard:

With Robinson - who earlier this year signed a contract extension until after the 2015 World Cup in England - set to stay, the only probable change we'll see will be amongst the players and backroom staff.

While some will question the Scottish Rugby Union's decision to back the former England boss following his team's Rugby World Cup exit, one must remember Graham Henry was given another four years after the All Blacks' failure in 2007. Robinson must be given support and time at least until 2015.

Robinson has also backed his players to recover and believes he can turn Scotland into the northern hemisphere's leading nation. To do that though, Robinson will need to freshen up his squad a wee bit and start replacing the tried and tested with some young up-and-coming talent.

Scotland's lack of tries and vision before and during the tournament must be pretty frustrating for their supporters too, most of whom wouldn't mind seeing the back of attack coach Gregor Townsend. Perhaps what Scotland need is someone like what Eddie Jones did for the Springboks four years ago - someone who can come in for a few months, that actually specialises in coaching and can help spot the weaknesses and strengths from an outsiders point of view.

Looking into the crystal ball:

Where do Scotland go from their disappointing World Cup exit? Surely the only way is up for the country ranked ninth in the world.

What the Scots have to do is to learn from their RWC failure, make themselves even more competitive and turn themselves into a winning team. More importantly it must be on a consistent basis and not the odd good game at Murrayfield.

Of course this is easier said than done, but Scotland have certainly improved under the guidance of Robinson and the future looks promising with the likes of talented wing Tim Visser soon becoming eligible to play as an 'adopted' Scotsman.

In a nutshell, Scotland have the spirit and belief to challenge the top eight nations consistently, but have less skill, execution and decision making to beat them. There is no denying that the Scots can compete physically for 80 minutes, but mistakes under pressure and at key junctures ultimately change the outcome of their matches.

If Robinson can find a quick-fix to the above mentioned problem areas, then maybe we'll see less Scotland the brave and more Scotland the ruthless lift some elusive silverware.

As we do after every big international tournament, we take a look at the state of affairs in each of rugby's leading nations. Next up, Italy.

World Cup ambitions v results:

After their famous Six Nations win over France, the Azzurri got the rugby world's attention and whilst they were never considered as World Cup contenders, they were tipped to cause an upset or two along the way. Italy also entered the World Cup with the goal of making the last eight for the first time in their history but sadly for them, they failed on both fronts: no upset wins, and they didn't succeed in making the quarter-finals.

They came close though - a loss to Australia (after holding the Wallabies 6-6 at half-time), was followed by a comprehensive victory over Russia and an unconvincing bonus-point win against the USA which set them up for their knock-out decider with Ireland to determine who went through and who went home... we all know what happened next.

The changing of the guard:

The biggest challenge facing Italy will of course be how they will prosper under new coach Jacques Brunel, who will replace Nick Mallett before the Six Nations starts in February next year.

Mallett leaves his post after four years in charge, a tenure that saw his team record just nine wins from 42 matches. Be that as it may, the South African did nothing to tarnish his reputation as one of the best coaches in the world - whilst Italy weren't on the right side of the scoreboard most of the time, Mallett has built them up to be a force in rugby. And as the former Bok coach noted: "no one plays their 'B' team against Italy any more."

Brunel has mighty big boots to fill, but is lucky that the core of Italy's squad remains intact for now, though for how much longer remains to be seen with their main strike weapons up front - Martin Castrogiovanni (30), Fabio Ongaro (34) and Andrea Lo Cicero (35) - nearing retirement, while locks Quintin Geldenhuys (30) and Cornelius van Zyl (32) are no spring chickens.

But Brunel - and the entire country for that matter - can thank their lucky stars that inspirational captain and number eight Sergio Parisse still has a few years left in him to lead his troops. For without him, the Azzurri would well and truly take a tumble.

Looking into the crystal ball:

Under a new coach, Italy will be in a rebuilding phase under Brunel but the former Perpignan coach (who led the French club to the Top 14 title in 2009 and again to the 2010 final) will be wise to pick up where Mallett left off, and not overhaul his predecessor's hard work by starting from scratch.

Mallett built a strong comradery within the Italy camp and laid the foundation for success, the 57-year-old Brunel must now make sure his new team hit the ground running and strive to turn good performances into results on a regular basis.

An assistant coach under Bernard Laporte, Brunel helped guide France to two World Cup semi-finals and faces his former side at the Stade de France in the opening round of the 2012 Six Nations - no easy feat for any coach.

Does the future look bright for Italy? It certainly looks promising. And a solid Six Nations campaign next year will no doubt put the Italians on the right path. Their fans have tasted victory against a heavyweight outfit, and will be hungry for more...

Northampton Saints Director of Rugby Jim Mallinder has signalled his interest in taking Martin Johnson's job as England coach.

The future of Johnson at the helm is uncertain following England's disappointing World Cup campaign, which was shrouded in controversy both on and off the pitch.

It is not yet known if Johnson wishes to continue, or if the Rugby Football Union (RFU) will replace him anyway, but Mallinder insists he would be keen to take on the role.

"Every player should want to aspire to play for his country and I think that's probably the same for coaches too," said the former England Saxons coach.

"If one day, I ever have that honour, it would be something that would be very difficult to turn down."

Meanwhile, Leicester coach Richard Cockerill ruled himself out of the running, insisting he did not have enough experience.

"The England job is huge," said Cockerill.

"For me, given 10 years more experience I might think about it, but I'm still trying to master the club game, never mind Test match rugby."

Graham Henry is standing down as coach of New Zealand, nine days after guiding the All Blacks to a second World Cup triumph.

As well as the World Cup success, Henry steered the All Blacks to 88 wins in 103 tests, clinched five Tri-Nations titles, swept the 2005 British and Irish Lions and completed grand slam tours in 2005, 2008 and 2010.

"I've had enough, it has been a privilege to be involved in the All Blacks. I'm very proud of what they've done over the last eight years," the 65-year-old, whose team beat France 8-7 in the World Cup final, told a news conference.

Henry, linked with a possible role in the England set-up and a host of club posts around the globe, said he would be making no immediate announcement on his future plans.

"I'd just like to say thanks to the guys who have played over those eight years, those 103 tests," he added.

"Especially thanks to Tana Umaga and Richie McCaw who were the long-term captains over that time."

Forwards coach Steve Hansen is now expected to succeed his mentor as senior coach, but the duo will enjoy one last hurrah together when they lead the Barbarians against Australia at Twickenham on 26 November.

France loose forward Imanol Harinordoquy said the team largely overlooked former coach Marc Lièvremont at the Rugby World Cup.

Despite losing to New Zealand and Tonga in their Pool matches, les Bleus reached the World Cup final where they lost narrowly to the All Blacks.

Harinordoquy believes the turnaround in the team's fortunes came when the players took their campaign into their own hands

"After the defeat against Tonga I did not attach too much importance to what Marc said," Harinordoquy told Midi Olympique.

"It was our adventure. It was meant to be the nice experience of 30 men. We had to free ourselves from his supervision."

Harinordoquy said that Lièvremont put too much pressure on the players and appeared "lost" at times.

"He cast the stone at us too often. When something goes wrong, we're all in the same boat. There are no good or bad guys," explained the Biarritz number eight.

After France's 9-8 semi-final triumph over Wales Lièvremont called several of his players "spoiled brats" after they went out to celebrate their victory.

"I felt he was lost," said Harinordoquy. "I will not miss him."

Aviva Premiership club Bath believe that All Blacks fly-half Stephen Donald's heroics at the World Cup justifies their decision to sign him.

Donald replaced Aaron Cruden in the first half and kicked the match-winning penalty in New Zealand's 8-7 victory over France in the final.

He made the All Blacks' World Cup squad after injuries ruled out first-choice pivot Dan Carter and his back-up Colin Slade.

This meant a delay in his debut for Bath but they are not complaining as he has signed a three-year contract with them.

Donald's move to Bath was initially scupperred after he failed to secure a work permit as part of his deal. This because of his lack of starting appearances for the All Blacks.

But Bath worked hard with immigration authorities in Britain to get his work permit and feel they have been vinidcated after his fine showing in the World Cup final.

"Stephen's performance in the World Cup final displayed all the attributes which originally attracted us to him," Bath coach Brad Davis told the Bath Chronicle.

"I'd take my comment from what the All Blacks' coach Graham Henry said after the game, 'Didn't he do well, Stephen Donald'.

"He stepped up to the mark for the penalty he kicked - he wanted to take responsibility.

"He carried strongly when he had no other options and he kicked for the corners well. Stephen gave a really assured performance - and that's off the back of four weeks' fishing!"

Davis said they expect Donald, who is replacing Springbok fly-half and 2007 World Cup winner Butch James, to make a huge impact at the club.

"We were really pleased for Stephen personally and are looking forward to having him on board to pass on his knowledge of what he has experienced in the southern hemisphere," Davis said.

"I think he will be a massive signing for us, both on the field and off it. We're replacing one World Cup-winning fly-half with another."

Donald is expected to make his debut for Bath in the Heineken Cup. They play Glasgow in Scotland on November 13 and host Montpellier a week later.

Toby Faletau and Lloyd Burns have signed contract extensions which will keep them at the Dragons until 2014.

Faletau has had a meteoric rise to prominence picking up awards for the 2010/11 Young Player in the Magners League, Welsh Rugby Writers and Wales Rugby Players Association.

He also became the first Welsh player to start seven matches in a row during the World Cup.

Hooker Burns was picked up from the Premiership by the Dragons and has gone from being a semi-professional player to a World Cup international in just two years.

"It was a pretty simple decision for me," Burns told the official Newport Gwent Dragons website.

"The Dragons are my region and I want to stay with my local team.

"The Dragons have been really good to me and it's where I want to be. I'll be back in training next week and am really looking forward to getting back in with the boys and taking on the next challenge."

And the former Pontypool back row has certainly made his sacrifice for his country, giving up his honeymoon plans over the summer and staying sober at his own wedding in order to make his international debut the following morning.

"We're looking at getting away for a few days after the Blues game, but there's nothing more ambitious planned for the moment!" said Faletau.

"The World Cup was a great experience but I'm really looking forward to getting back Rodney Parade.

"I just love to play rugby and I enjoy being at the Dragons."

Director of Rugby Robert Beale added his own words to the signings.

"The success of our business depends heavily on creating a pathway for young talented players within our region to feel they can follow in the footsteps of Lloyd, Toby and many others," he said.

"Obviously the retention of such players has a huge bearing on our ability to function as a successful business going forward and therefore Newport Gwent Dragons are delighted to have secured the future of Lloyd and Toby until at least 2014.

"Everyone at the Dragons has worked extremely hard over many months to bring about the exciting changes in facilities at Rodney Parade and creating an environment that supports the professional game in Wales.

"Extending the contracts of these major assets is proof that all that hard work has paid off and that young players throughout our region need look no further to fulfil their rugby ambitions."

As we do after every big international tournament, we take a look at the state of affairs in each of rugby's leading nations. Next up, Samoa.

World Cup ambitions v results:

Difficult is one word that can be attached with the Samoan campaign, and the aftermath of the World Cup has left even more of a sour taste in the mouth of several players. They entered New Zealand on the back of a great win over Australia in Sydney, with whispers of making it into the knockout stages increasing in volume. In truth they came desperately close to achieving that goal but fell narrowly to South Africa and Wales in fixtures that could have gone either way. Strong performances from the likes of George Stowers, Taiasina Tuifua, Kahn Fotuali'i, Tusi Pisi, Alesana Tuilagi and Paul Williams saw them match the bigger-named duo but they ultimately fell short of the mark in a World Cup that may be remembered for events that went on off the pitch. Yes, I am talking about the whole Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu affair as Twitter comments had the Gloucester centre in a great deal of bother with the International Rugby Board. He had to apologise to Welsh match referee Nigel Owens, put in a minimum of 100 hours rugby community work in Samoa and pass a recognised referee course within the next three months.

The changing of the guard:

According to captain Mahonri Schwalger, changes are needed for a side that has shown it's more than capable of mixing it with the best that rugby has to offer. He delivered a damning report on the behaviour of team management during the RWC, listing several issues which he believes hindered the team's ability to compete during the competition. He was highly critical of chief executive Su'a Schuster and team manager Tuala Mathew Vaea for drinking and treating the event like a holiday, a report from the Samoan Observer was quoted as saying. The disappointed Schwalger meanwhile is unlikely to be around for 2015 while Seilala Mapusua and other key players may also be into the tail-end of their Test careers.

Looking into the crystal ball:

One feels that Samoa need regular fixtures against the established nations if they are to progress into consistent challengers for the Webb Ellis trophy. The yearly Pacific Nations Cup has helped their cause since its inception in 2006 but Tests against Six Nations or Tri-Nations heavyweights are just too much of a rare event. The large majority of their players ply their trade in Europe or Super Rugby so they are receiving top class coaching and with the news that Rugby World Cup 2015 will be played on an even rest period basis, the future does hint of progress for Samoa but there is no doubt a lot of work is required.

As we do after every major tournament, we take a look at the state of affairs in each of rugby's leading nations. Next up, Canada.

World Cup ambitions v results: Having failed to claim a win at a World Cup for the first time in their history in 2007, Canada certainly put in a much improved performance this time around.

Ranked below Tonga and Japan heading into the tournament, Canada punched above their weight by claiming a win over the Tongans and a draw against the Brave Blossoms.

While comprehensively hammered by the All Blacks, Canada gave France a good battle, keeping the eventual runners-up in check until the final quarter when three tries to the French stretched the score out to 46-19.

However, fourth place in the group means that the Canucks do not qualify automatically for the next World Cup and, as that was one of their goals, there will certainly be a feeling of disappointment. Captain Pat Riordan commented that if his men had shut the French out for ten more minutes or shown a tad more composure against the Japanese, the tournament would have had a very different complexion for them.

Backs DTH van der Merwe and Phil Mackenzie were stand-outs for the Canucks while up front Adam Kleeberger's beard wasn't the only aspect of the flanker that impressed.

The changing of the guard: Looking purely at age, as much as 80 per cent of the squad still could be in contention come RWC 2015. However, key men like Riordan, scrum-half Ed Fairhurst and full-back James Pritchard may not feature for too much longer.

Looking into the crystal ball: First and foremost, Canada need to retain the services of coach Kieran Crowley. The Kiwi has had a major impact and looks the right man to lead the team into the next World Cup.

Like many smaller nations, the Canadians primarily need two things two improve: more time together as a squad and additional games against top tear teams.

As we do after every major tournament, we take a look at the state of affairs in each of rugby's leading nations. Next up, the USA.

World Cup ambitions v results: The USA achieved their primary goal heading into the tournament - they beat Russia. The 13-6 victory certainly wasn't pretty but it was full of the heart and hard graft that one would expect from the Eagles.

And that's the manner in which the USA played in all of their games, with a hard working effort against Ireland first up showing that they're no pushovers. The clash against Russia - who had yet to play - followed just four days later, making the win even more of an achievement.

A much-changed, youthful side was dispatched with ease by Australia but it was clear that coach Eddie O'Sullivan had his eye on Italy which once again came after a break of only a handful of days.

A valiant effort was not quite enough to see off the Italians although a 27-10 defeat is certainly not a result to be ashamed of, especially when one considers that despite having all the possession and territory, the Azzurri only claimed their bonus-point score through a penalty try in the 66th minute.

The USA wanted a second win to secure automatic qualification to the next World Cup, but their failure to do so should not see the tournament labelled a disappointment; they were far from that.

The Eagles were impressive in a number of areas but committed too many unforced errors to capatalise on solid build-up play. The line-out was a highlight for O'Sullivan's men, with Hayden Smith and John van der Giessen forming a solid second row combination.

While skipper Todd Clever was as industrious as ever, it was centre Paul Emerick who was the star of the show for the Eagles. The 31-year-old was immense on both attack and defence.

The changing of the guard: The likes of record-breaking prop Mike McDonald are unlikely to make it to the next World Cup, but the majority of the squad should be looking to play on and, with any luck, make it to another World Cup.

Looking into the crystal ball: Key to the Eagles' development going forward will be the retention of O'Sullivan. There are a number of higher profile positions opening up and O'Sullivan may look to throw is hat into the ring for a job in Europe.

Rugby is gaining momentum in the USA and it's clear that the administrators are onto a good thing in terms of their grassroots program 'Rookie Rugby'. While the benefits of such a program are more long term, the growing presence of rugby at school and college will start to reap rewards.

Lock Scott LaValla has landed a contract with Top 14 big guns Stade Français and if more players can get themselves into professional outfits in Europe the knock on effect will be massive.

But it's not only the individuals that are important. O'Sullivan has bemoaned the lack of time that the team have playing together and this will need to be corrected. Regular encounters against top tier teams is also important to upping the standard of USA rugby.

As we do after every major tournament, we take a look at the state of affairs in each of rugby's leading nations. Next up, Tonga.

World Cup ambitions v results: Tonga are likely to look back at this World Cup and think what might have been. An incredible victory over France is the undoubted highlight of their campaign, with Isitolo Maka's troops pulling off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. However, it was all too little too late for the Tongans, with an earlier loss to Canada ending their hopes of progressing to the play-offs.

Maka made eleven changes and four positional switches to the team that had performed admirably against New Zealand for the clash against Canada and it's a decision he will now be ruing. Sure, with the quick turnaround between the two games (just four days) he may have felt it was the best option. But having his first-choice players out for the early stages may have given the Tongans a strong enough foothold to win the encounter.

Flanker Sione Kalamafoni was immense against France and prop Soane Tonga'uiha put in some strong showings, but the two stand-outs for Tonga throughout the competition where fly-half Kurt Morath and in particular scrum-half Taniela Moa.

The changing of the guard: With nearly a third of their squad already over thirty, Tonga are likely to undergo a lot of reshuffling in the coming years, especially amongst the forwards.

Looking into the crystal ball: While a win over France and a rating of ninth on the IRB World Rankings, suggests that Tonga are a team on the rise. However, one cannot avoid the fact that they have fallen behind Samoa and probably Fiji too in the Pacific Islands pecking order.

It's not all doom and gloom though; with the World Cup ending on a high, the Tongans have something positive to take forward. As coach Maka pointed out, they need to play top tier nations on a more regular basis if they are to make any real progress.

Former England captain Lewis Moody admits he should have banned his team-mates from going on nights out during their shambolic World Cup campaign.

Martin Johnson's side were the subject of numerous stories about poor off-field behaviour, the most high-profile concerning an evening visit to a Queensland bar that made headlines because of security footage showing recently married Mike Tindall in conversation with a woman.

Moody, who retired from international rugby after the World Cup, was present at the Queensland bar, which infamously was hosting a 'Mad Midget Weekender', but left early on.

However, the 33-year-old concedes he had a bad feeling about the squad's attitude from the moment they arrived in New Zealand.

In an extract from his book, Mad Dog: An Englishman, serialised in the Mail On Sunday, Moody said: "I had been growing concerned about the attitude in the camp, which had become apparent pretty much from the moment we arrived in Auckland.

"We were on the other side of the world, a lot of the guys were young, well-known, wealthy and believed they were invincible.

"I remember thinking that some were not quite in the right mind-set."

Moody claims England had been too free-spirited and "got burned" as a result, leading the team to decide at a players' meeting that they needed to be better disciplined.

Despite that, the controversies kept coming, with coaches Dave Alred and Paul Stridgeon suspended for a game after illegally changing balls and centre Manu Tuilagi given a warning by Auckland police for disorderly behaviour after jumping from a ferry as it was about to dock.

Moody admits such incidents left a shadow over the end of his international career as England bowed out in the quarter-finals against France.

"If I could change one thing, knowing some of the characters we had in that squad, it would be to have banned them from going out at all," he said.

He insists Tindall, who is married to the Queen's grand-daughter Zara Phillips, did nothing wrong and that pictures of him with a blonde woman that surfaced later showed him getting "drunk with an old friend" and media coverage blew the incident out of proportion.

But Moody admitted: "I take some of the blame. I was captain and the buck stopped with Johnno and me.

"Tindall coped with the media flak but he was churning inside. I imagine he felt he had let a lot of people down. I knew that Tins had done nothing more than get drunk with an old friend."

Despite calls for him to retire, Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll will continue to play international rugby.

The veteran centre will not follow the trend of several other experienced players, who retired after the World Cup, but will also take on a new position as the chairman of the Irish Rugby Players Union (Irupa).

"People are very quick to write individuals off. If you still feel fit and up to a certain standard that you have set yourself then why not play on?" O'Driscoll told the Irish Times.

"It is about either the body or the mind giving up. If both of them are working, as far as you are concerned, there is no reason to pay heed to what people are writing in their columns. The decision is left to you," he added.

The 32-year-old cited the example of veterans like former Ireland fly-half David Humphries and All Blacks enforcer Brad Thorn, who continued playing on the international stage into their late 30s.

"David Humphreys played until he was 36 and at a similar standard to where he was at in his early 20s. Part of it is about proving your critics wrong," he said.

"That your time isn't up. When I was written off before I managed to do that and if I am written off again I will try my best to come back if I feel I still have it in me."

O'Driscoll said it was also crucial for him to play a part in the development of the next generation of Irish rugby players.

"In five, 10 years time after your career anyone under 15 doesn't have a clue who you are. That's the reality of it.

"A new generation comes through that has heard your name maybe but that's it," he explained.

"Golden generation stuff is great and all but it is not golden generation to the sub 15-year-olds."

"Rugby is going to be a big component in my life in the future in some shape or form.

"Whether it be as a supporter or involved in the Irupa committee or whatever branches you could find yourself involved in."

Outgoing Japan coach John Kirwan has been criticised for his use of foreign-born players during the Brave Blossoms' poor showing at the RWC.

The criticism came at a board meeting of the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) which reviewed the World Cup in New Zealand, the union's chairman Tatsuzo Yabe said.

Japan finished bottom of Pool A with three defeats - by eventual World Cup winners New Zealand, runners-up France and Tonga - and a draw with Canada.

"We talked about how our scrum went or how our breakdown went. We also talked about our mental side," Yabe said.

"Some argued that we had too many foreigners. There were various topics," he added.

Kirwan picked a record 10 foreign-born players, half of whom have obtained Japanese nationality, for his World Cup squad.

The previous highest was seven, also selected by Kirwan for the 2007 World Cup in France.

He used seven of them in the starting line-up against Canada in an effort to break Japan's World Cup winless streak, which dates back to their 52-8 victory over Zimbabwe 20 years ago. In 2007, Japan also drew with Canada.

Kirwan has insisted Japan must use foreigners to improve their results toward 2019 when they host the World Cup.

"Rugby is a world sport, we accept everyone. It's not political," he said before the New Zealand tournament.

Earlier this month, the 46-year-old said he would not seek a new contract with Japan when his current five-year deal expires in December.

Yabe said no specific name was named at the board meeting as Kirwan's successor but they had set up a committee to choose the new coach and staff, hopefully by the end of this year.

"We noted the good things JK (Kirwan) has done. But the results are what matter," he said.

"JK said he would keep watching Japanese rugby beyond December. We will appreciate that."

As we do after every major tournament, we take a look at the state of affairs in each of rugby's leading nations. Next up, Japan.

World Cup ambitions v results: Japan arrived at the World Cup with plenty of hope and expectation after they won the Pacific Nations tournament earlier in the year.

Their last World Cup win came in 1991 when they beat Zimbabwe and one of their major goals was to win their first match at the tournament in 20 years. But sadly for them, that was not to be.

They gave France a scare in their opening pool match, trailing the eventual runners-up by four points with 20 minutes left in clash, before going down 47-21. There was not much to cheer about for the Brave Blossoms' supporters during the rest of the World Cup.

They suffered a humiliating defeat to host nation and tournament winners New Zealand. That was followed with another loss to Tonga and a draw in their final pool match with Canada.

The changing of the guard: Captain and loose forward Takashi Kikutani led his side well in New Zealand but the 31-year-old will not be around in 2015 and neither will other stalwarts like veteran wings Hirotoki Onozawa and Kosuke Endo.

Because Japan did not do too well, few players impressed at the World Cup.

Someone who did make an impact though was New Zealand-born flanker Michael Leitch.

The 23-year-old got more game time than any other Japanese player at the tournament and was on the field for every minute in each of their four matches during the campaign.

Leitch and 25-year-old hooker Shota Horie are young enough to still be involved for the next two World Cups. Among the backs, 24-year-old scrum-half Atsushi Hiwasa also has a bright future.

Hiwasa was involved in all Japan's matches in New Zealand and was in the starting line-up in the 83-7 defeat against the All Blacks.

Looking into the crystal ball: All Blacks legend John Kirwan, who has been Japan's coach since 2007, announced that he will step down from his position when his contract expires at the end of December.

Former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has emerged as a front runner to take over the reins from Kirwan.

Jones currently serves as an advisor to Top League outfit Suntory Sungoliath and has confirmed that he is interested in the position.

Japan will host the World Cup in 2019 and will be desperate not be among the also-rans when the global showpiece is held on their home turf.

But before thinking too far ahead, Kirwan's successor will be keen to rectify the wrongs of this year's tournament so that they will at least be competitive at the next World Cup in England in 2015.

by David Skippers

The Fiji Rugby Union has sacked its national selectors in one of its first public responses to the failure of the Fijian team at the Rugby World Cup.

The Fiji Broadcasting Corporation reported Friday that coach Sam Domoni was likely to be sacked along with Talemo Waqa, head of Fiji rugby's High Performance Unit.

The union's board met in Suva on Thursday and approved seven recommendations of its Rugby World Cup review committee which likely include the dismissal of senior coaching staff and management.

Union chairman Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga said no public statement would be made on the extent of those dismissals until the individuals had been informed.

Tikoitoga told the FBC that as union chairman he accepted responsibility for the Fiji team's performance at the World Cup, where it won only one match against lowly ranked Namibia. But he said unlike past administrations, the current board would not resign but would concentrate on restoring the strength and credibility of the country's rugby program.

Almost all administrative positions will be advertised and current officeholders will likely have to reapply for their jobs. The position of chief executive has already been advertised and will be filled by January.

Tikoitoga said the board would fully account for the 3 million Fiji dollars ($1.7 million) in government funds spent on the Fiji team's World Cup campaign. The board was currently awaiting a financial report from the Fiji team management.

"We haven't got our final financial report from the management on the government funds used, but we will certainly be going back to government with a full report on all the acquittals of the government funds used," Tikoitoga said.

"Having said that, we are fully aware that we are responsible to the taxpayers and we need to take some drastic measures to change things so that we can at least tell the government that the money they had given us was not totally thrown away."

As we do after every major tournament, we take a look at the state of affairs in each of rugby's leading nations. Next up, England.

World Cup ambitions v results:

With the 2011 Six Nations Championship under their belt, England were viewed as the northern hemisphere's strongest hope in New Zealand. How wrong the majority proved to be as the Red Rose wilted despite winning four of their five games at the tournament. As soon as the final whistle was blown on the quarter-final defeat to the French, it became apparent that their Pool performances were worse than originally thought. Their 100 per cent record up until facing les Bleus had clearly covered over widening cracks in the game-plan and it therefore did not take much for France to navigate their way towards a semi-final clash with the Welsh. Issues are all over the place for England, none more so than in the backline, with their only real World Cup performer wide out being Manu Tuilagi. Try as he did it was a mistake persisting at fly-half with Jonny Wilkinson ahead of Toby Flood - the latter offering more with ball in-hand when he took over the role - while it looked like they were carrying Mike Tindall in midfield. There's a nucleus of a squad to build on though and one hopes players of the future, such as Billy Twelvetrees, are now blooded.

The changing of the guard:

Now this is an interesting section due to the loss of flank Lewis Moody. We recently uploaded a poll asking who you thought would be the wisest option to take over as skipper and it was glaringly obvious that this isn't an open and shut case. By rights, Mike Tindall is the next in line but do the English want a man who is out of form and won't be around for the next World Cup? The next in the pecking order is arguably Nick Easter, another who we imagine will be well past his sell-by date when 2015 comes knocking. Dylan Harltey and James Haskell didn't act like captains in New Zealand, which I feel leaves the English with a dilemma. One option - like Wales successfully did - would be to opt for a quiet youngster and that brings Tom Wood into the picture. His appointment would be a signal of fresh thinking for a team that needs to be aired out in all honesty. Now we must wait to see if Martin Johnson, Mike Ford, Brian Smith and John Wells are still there to oversee it all.

Looking into the crystal ball:

As mentioned, someone like Leicester's Twelvetrees alongside club-mate Tuilagi would at least add another dimension to England's midfield in the upcoming Six Nations. There is no doubt at all that talent is coming through the ranks and that is clear from the fact the U20s reached the 2011 Junior World Championsip Final. Nurturing the talent of Christian Wade, Matt Kvesic, Elliot Daly, Owen Farrell and George Ford is critical to how things progress though at Twickenham under a new captain, but I guess the most important matter that needs addressing comes right at the top of HQ. The RFU needs to get its act together, now.

As we do after every major tournament, we take a look at the state of affairs in each of rugby's leading nations. Next up, Australia.

World Cup ambitions v results: After the euphoria of their victory in the Tri-Nations decider over New Zealand in Brisbane, the Wallabies were confident of returning from the land of the long white cloud with the World Cup in their possession.

They were rightly touted as one of the favourites to lift the William Webb Ellis trophy but their performances ebbed and flowed throughout the tournament.

A fine second half performance guided them to a deserved 32-6 win over Italy in their opening pool match.

After that victory, things got gradually worse for the Wallabies however, and central to that downward curve was the performances of their much-maligned fly-half Quade Cooper, who failed to replicate his Super Rugby and Tri-Nations form at the World Cup.

Their defeat in their second pool match against Ireland meant they went into the same side of the draw for the play-offs as traditional southern hemisphere rivals South Africa and New Zealand.

Despite being under the cosh for most of their quarter-final clash against the Springboks, they managed to sneak into the semi-finals where they were beaten by eventual champions the All Blacks.

A highlight was undoubtedly the captaincy of James Horwill, who led his charges intelligently despite taking over the reins from Rocky Elsom shortly before the start of the World Cup.

The changing of the guard: Australia were the youngest team at the World Cup and the experience of playing at the game's biggest tournament will prove invaluable when they host the British and Irish Lions in 2013 and at the next World Cup in England in 2015.

With such a young side and coach Robbie Deans committed to the cause until the series against the Lions, don't expect too many changes in the next couple of years.

Of the first-choice XV that did duty at the World Cup, veterans Radike Samo and Dan Vickerman are probably the only players that will not be around for the 2015 tournament.

Number eight Ben McCalman gave a solid performance as Samo's replacement in the Wallabies' victory over Wales in the bronze medal match at the World Cup. But don't rule out Scott Higginbotham, who replaced Rocky Elsom on the blindside flank in that win against Wales.

Higginbotham is equally at home at the base or on the side of the scrum and don't be surprised if he makes it into the starting line-up soon.

Looking into the crystal ball: Of all the coaches at the recent World Cup, Robbie Deans is probably in the best position regarding the future of his team.

He was in charge of a young squad and most of them should be in the prime of their careers by 2015.

Even with Samo and Vickerman in their ranks, Australia's average age of its 30-man squad was 25 years, 363 days at the World Cup.

In four years time the majority of these players will be expected to deliver on the promise shown in New Zealand.

Back-line stars like Cooper, Kurtley Beale, James O'Connor and Will Genia are all in their early twenties and are already household names on the international scene. Imagine how good these players will be, barring any serious injuries, in 2015.

Even 26-year-old captain James Horwill is relatively young - only 23-year-old Wales skipper Sam Warburton was younger than him as a leader at the World Cup.

Horwill is young enough to lead the Wallabies for the next four years and along with players like Higginbotham, Stephen Moore, Sekope Kepu, Rob Simmons and Benn Robinson, who missed the World Cup through injury, should provide the platform for their exciting backs to shine.

Australia are certainly in a good position to become the first nation to win the World Cup for a third time.

by David Skippers

Dan Vickerman has joined the ever-growing list of Wallabies who will miss the start of next season's Super Rugby campaign.

Centre Pat McCabe (shoulder) and fly-half Quade Cooper (knee) will both be out of action for six months, and it has now been confirmed that Vickerman also faces six months out and the prospect of watching Super Rugby off a set come February.

The lock injured his shoulder during the World Cup and continued to play on despite the aliment before finally being forced out of action ahead of Australia's bronze medal match against Wales.

The Waratahs man has now undergone surgery and as a result will miss the first few months of the new season.

As we do after every major tournament, we take a look at the state of affairs in each of rugby's leading nations. Next up, Wales.

World Cup ambitions v results: It's the mark of a special team to be able to arrive home from a World Cup having lost three matches yet still feel like heroes.

But the Welsh were hailed the rugby world over during the tournament, playing a brand of rugby that mixed modern-game patience with a real 'go-get-'em' spirit. The team tied with winners New Zealand in terms of representation of our readers' choices in XV of the tournament (seven each), a testament to their popularity and new-found excellence.

What could have been though. Two gut-wrenching defeats to South Africa and France and then the loss of third place to Australia, with an accumulated margin total of five points, were all that stood between the Welsh and an easier ride through the next World Cup. Rarely have missed kicks proved so costly.

But the fourth place and the adulation of most rugby lovers who have been quick to adopt these Welshies as their 'second team' is only the tip of the iceberg as far as the good news goes for Warren Gatland. Reviewers should also look at the form of a loose forward trio with an average age of 21, a centre pairing only a couple of years older, a teenage wing sensation and a brace of excellent locks, all of whom look set to be around for the next four years at the very least. Moreover there is a captain who looks every bit as capable at 22 years old as Richie McCaw did when he was handed the armband at a similar age. Wales are in rude health.

The changing of the guard: Gatland will stay on - or at least his contract says he will - but he does have a few projects to work on over the next four years. Shaun Edwards' loss, if he does go as hinted, will be the biggest blow, while Rob Howley is another who looks set to shuffle himself off the stage.

Then there is the likely short-term re-emergence of one of Wales' traditional Achilles heels of the modern era: the lack of a world-class front row. While the rest of the team was scampering round with the exuberance of youth, the front row of Adam Jones, Gethin Jenkins and Huw Bennett were all contemplating their likely last World Cup. Paul James did not have a good tournament and is also of a mature vintage.

Craig Mitchell, Lloyd Burns, Ryan Bevington and Ken Owens are all heirs apparents, with Bevington stepping up perfectly adequately when required during the tournament. For Jones and Jenkins especially, their role over the next four years will be a mentoring one.

The scrum-half departure of Mike Philips looks to be less potentially damaging, as both Tavis Knoyle and Lloyd Williams show a lot of promise. Likewise the evergreen Stephen Jones being succeeded by Rhys Priestland, undoubtedly the find of the tournament. Shane Williams will leave a massive void to fill, but there's never been a shortage of eager young speedsters in Wales in recent times - and lest anyone forget, Leigh Halfpenny fills that position reasonably well at times.

Looking into the crystal ball: Things look good in the valleys. But when the dust has settled, it may well be the message Gatland delivers in his report that will have the greatest effect. Gatland's greatest beef - beyond Jones and Jenkins - during his time in charge has been the limits on the time he has had to spend with the team. He has waged a near-permanent war with the regions about international preparation time, always saying he never had enough. It's not an unfamiliar gripe from NH international coaches.

Yet in a break from the NH norm, Gatland was the coach who delivered when finally afforded that time with the squad. He took a team that looked stale and uninspired in the Six Nations to within an ace of the World Cup Final. The WRU and regions can shower him with all the rewards they like, but you'd suspect the one great bonus Gatland might like in return for this excellent World Cup display is a little more leeway from the locals back in Wales. If he gets it and finds a kicker and front row, who knows how good this Welsh team might be in four years' time?

The New Zealand Rugby Union have confirmed that leading candidates have been approached for the All Blacks coaching position.

According to allblacks.com, approximately 20 letters have been sent out to those who are eligible.

NZRU rules dictate that time must have been worked in the senior New Zealand coaching environment (Super Rugby, ITM Cup) level for the last year, or have three years experience in those positions over a five year period.

A review is currently being undertaken by Don Tricker, who oversaw the detailed post-mortem compiled after the All Blacks 2007 Rugby World Cup exit.

It is likely that incumbent coach Graham Henry will step down, and while it is largely expected that keen assistant Steve Hansen has the inside running, the process will still take place fielding all eligible candidates.

However, NZRU chief executive Steve Tew confirmed to Radio New Zealand that there would be no high profile poaching from any other country.

Warren Gatland is contracted to Wales until the end of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, and his successes in New Zealand prompted Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Roger Lewis to earlier in the tournament usher a 'hands off' caution to other national unions.

Robbie Deans is contracted to the Wallabies until the 2013 British and Irish Lions tour, although his future beyond that will not be determined by Australian Rugby Union boss John O'Neill, who recently confirmed he would step down at that time.

Tew is confident the NZRU can find the ideal candidate without having to compensate other unions.

As we do after every major tournament, we take a look at the state of affairs in each of rugby's leading nations. Next up, the ever-courageous Pumas.

World Cup ambitions v results: Despite not being able to match the monumental exploit of finishing third in 2007, Argentina will consider their 2011 campaign a success.

Getting past a quarter-final against New Zealand was always going to be a massive ask and los Pumas can hold their heads high after giving the eventual winners a real run for their money for an hour.

The South Americans will long rue the missed penalties against England that cost them a place on other side of the draw, where they would have fancied their chances against a French side blowing hot and cold.

Ultimately, Argentina paid the price for their one-dimensional tactics. When the three-pointers dried up, they didn't have the game to get over the whitewash against England.

The changing of the guard: Having had one of the oldest squads at the World Cup, Argentina face a rebuilding task arguably tougher than any other nation.

For the better part of the last decade the Pumas have based their game around a monster pack - their front row in particular - and a brilliant fly-half. Now they must face life without Mario Ledesma and Martin Scelzo while 34-year-old Rodrigo Roncero won't be around for much longer. Likewise for Felipe Contepomi, who is the same age.

But all is not lost. The 23-year-old tighthead Juan Figallo was named the official 'Player of Pool B' while talented fly-half/centre Santiago Fernandez is just 25.

The game is booming in Argentina with over 100,000 players registered, half of whom are under 15. But the challenge is to convert those amateurs into players capable of taking on the southern hemisphere giants.

Looking into the crystal ball: For years Argentina have longed to join New Zealand, Australia and South Africa in an expanded Four Nations tournament and that will happen in 2012. It will represent the first step toward rebuilding the team but is fraught with obstacles.

Many of the Pumas' best players will face a prospect of either quitting Test rugby or leaving their European clubs since the new competition will clash with domestic leagues of the northern hemisphere where 23 of their 30-man RWC squad ply their trade. Having players away for eight weeks during the Four Nations in addition to the traditional June and November Test windows will not sit well with European employers. We can only hope SANZAR will open up Super Rugby teams to Argentine imports...

As we do after every major tournament, we take a look at the state of affairs in each of rugby's leading nations. Next up, Fiji.

World Cup ambitions v results: Fiji were one of the major disappointments of the 2011 World Cup. It's sad to say, but the evidence indicates that the Islanders have taken a step backwards since their 2007 campaign, when they made the quarter-finals.

The Flying Fijians finished with just five points in Pool D thanks to victory in their opening game against lowly Namibia but were hammered by South Africa and Wales and soundly beaten by Samoa.

The Fijians tried to adopt a more pragmatic approach than their traditional open, all-out attacking game and largely failed. Structured rugby takes a lot of preparation and a solid set piece and Fiji had neither of these, largely due to off-the-field issues.

The changing of the guard: If the chairman of the Fiji Rugby Union, Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga, is to be believed then Fiji are set for sweeping changes. Head coach Sam Domoni is sure to be axed and there is a push for including more locally based players in the Test team.

The dear Colonel has suggested that Fijian sides should be "made up of 70 per cent local players" as a "matter of policy." That seems suicidal considering that all of Fiji's best players move overseas as soon as they are good enough to do so. That's what you get when the military runs your rugby union...

If sense prevails, then there should be a place in the side for young Clermont full-back Kini Murimurivalu who is a real talent. It's safe to say we won't see the likes of Nicky Little around for much longer while 32-year-old skipper Deacon Manu is also unlikely to make it to the next RWC.

Looking into the crystal ball: Defeat to Pacific rivals Samoa means that Fiji have lost their automatic berth for the 2015 World Cup and must go through the qualifying process to book a spot in the tournament in England.

There is little doubt that Fiji have the playing resources to qualify but if they are going to be able to threaten the big nations of world rugby they way they have in the past, then the financial and political issues that have plagued the side must be resolved.

All Blacks and Chiefs fly-half Aaron Cruden should be fit for the start of the Super Rugby season after receiving good news regarding his injured knee.

Cruden was forced off the field during the first half of Sunday's World Cup final after appearing to hyper-extend his knee.

The 22-year-old was making use of crutches when he collected his winner's medal and also in the days following the final.

However, a visit to a specialist has confirmed that while he has stretched his knee ligaments there are no tears and he will not require surgery. It remains uncertain whether he has suffered a compression fracture on his knee cap.

The number ten is now expected to be fit to start next season, with his new Super Rugby franchise, the Chiefs.

Former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has put his hand up to take over as coach of Japan and replace All Blacks legend John Kirwan.

Jones said Wednesday he has the "passion" to improve Japanese rugby if he is appointed to replace Kirwan as the country's coach.

"I've always had a passion for Japanese rugby. Obviously, now is the time when, if it doesn't change, it's going to be very difficult for the game to get forward," he told reporters.

"What I'd do with Japan is what someone else will do," added Jones, 51, who has been guiding Japan's major Top League side Suntory Sungoliath since 2009.

Jones, who took the Wallabies to the 2003 World Cup final, which they lost to England, has emerged as the likely successor to Kirwan after Japan came home winless from New Zealand.

Kirwan, who failed to break the Brave Blossoms' 20-year World Cup win drought, has said he would not seek a new contract when his current five-year deal expires in December.

Jones denied that he had already been approached by the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) for the national coach's job.

"If Japan came to me, I'd be very, very pleased as it's a great honour."

He said he would "definitely" take the national team job if all conditions are met, including "Suntory's blessing."

Jones said Kirwan, 46, "definitely improved" both the team and a number of players.

He said what Japan lacked the most was the "consistency of their application of skills." He added their "decision-making positions" needed to be improved.

Japan will host the World Cup in 2019 and will be looking to avoid the embarrassment of becoming the first host country to fail to make the knockout stages.

JRFU vice president Nobby Mashimo told AFP that no specific name had been raised as a candidate to replace Kirwan, a hero of New Zealand's triumph in the inaugural 1987 World Cup on home turf.

On Saturday, the Top League, the country's premier rugby union division, will start its season, which was shortened due to the World Cup and will end in late February.

"I think it would be great if we can make a decision (on the new coach) by the year-end," he said.

The JRFU is scheduled to hold a board meeting on Saturday to review the Brave Blossoms' coaching structure.

As we do after every major tournament, we take a look at the state of affairs in each of rugby's leading nations. Next up, Ireland.

World Cup ambitions v results: It has been written of Irish rugby that it is an almost permanent state of phantom pregnancy, a continued state of excitement at what is to come, followed by an anti-climactic realisation that all is merely normal again. It's tough to find any way different of looking at this World Cup.

Ireland came into the tournament on the back of some horrendous form, but eased their way into things with a rugged win over the USA and then turned the formbooks - and the tournament seedings - on their head with that win over Australia. A convincing dismantling of Russia and a thorough pasting of Italy backed it up, leading the world, as well as the Irish, to believe that this might be their time at last.

Alas, they may have peaked too early. Wales outlasted the Irish in the quarter-final, sending them home just too early for satisfaction once again.

But there lurks a suspicion that Ireland just did not evolve enough. They founded the wins over Australia and Italy on a muscular bed of physicality coupled with a vastly superior tackling technique known as 'the choke', involving one tackler keeping the runner upright while the other stripped him unceremoniously of the ball, honed to perfection by Les Kiss and Gert Smal. It did for Australia, not known for their predilection to combating such dark arts, it did for Italy, who had no idea of how to keep the ball out of contact. But it would not do for Wales. Ireland needed a little more there and didn't have it.

In hindsight, perhaps the most significant result in Ireland's pool stage was the failure to accrue a bonus point against the spirited but limited Americans. There may have been a hint there that the attack was a little dull, a little too narrow, a little too easy to read. It was forgotten in the euphoria of the win over the Wallabies, but the Welsh had taken heed. While Wales clinically took their chances, Ireland's only try came from a duff pass with a kind bounce.

The changing of the guard: The Irish teamsheet is going to be a hive of activity over the next couple of years. At some point even Declan Kidney is going to realise that BOD might be a little too old and battered, likewise Paul O'Connell and Donncha O'Callaghan, Ronan O'Gara, Denis Leamy, Geordan Murphy... the list goes on. Ireland had the oldest squad at this World Cup and now need a massive rebuild. The sooner it starts the better, for there is little in the back-up to suggest Ireland have the talent coming through.

Looking into the crystal ball: There are some building blocks. Sean O'Brien was one of the tournament's bright sparks and the front row was in sensational form against Australia. Connor Murray ought to be given as much time as he needs in the number nine jersey. Keith Earls surely has a wing spot nailed down for a long time to come. That's about it though. Age will be catching up - if not actually have caught up - with many other established names.

New faces, an upgrade in attacking tactics required... it's going to be an interesting time in the Emerald Isle over the next four years.

Wallabies centre Pat McCabe will be sidelined for six months after undergoing shoulder surgery.

The Brumbies man injured his shoulder three times during the tournament, suffering a shoulder dislocation against the USA - which at first look to have ended his World Cup - before receiving further blows against South Africa and New Zealand.

There will be no miracle recovery for the 23-year-old this time though as he was forced to go under the knife this week.

''I wanted to have the surgery as early as possible, because it's a six-month recovery and I wanted to miss as few games as possible for the Brumbies,'' McCabe told the Sydney Morning Herald.

''It's obviously pretty frustrating but it's something I have to get right. I have to look at it as an opportunity to improve my skills and physical attributes for when I can play again in March.

''This year has been long, and it has taken its toll physically and mentally so, hopefully, I'll come back fully recharged and ready to go for the Brumbies.''

McCabe will miss the Australia's upcoming tour to the United Kingdom and the month and a half of the Brumbies' Super Rugby campaign.

As we do after every major tournament, we take a look at the state of affairs in each of rugby's leading nations. Next up, the losing finalists, France.

World Cup ambitions v results: The French campaign was a paradox from start to finish. Les Bleus arrived in New Zealand with the playing resources required to go all the way, but form that was more likely to see them go home early.

The trend for inconsistency continued as Marc Lièvremont's team produced both the best and the worst performances of any team at the tournament.

Those seven weeks in the New Zealand seemed to sum up the last four years as a series of battles between the coach and the press, then the coach and his players, and ultimately the players and the press made headlines almost daily.

Yet all that chaos, highlighted by the biggest upset in World Cup history (defeat to Tonga), almost ended in an even bigger shock at Eden Park on the last day. Most neutral observers believe France were the better team in the final, but few would claim that their overall tournament was worthy of taking 'Bill' back to Paris.

The changing of the guard: The Fédération Française de Rugby did Lièvremont a massive disservice by naming his successor, another former Bleu, Philippe Saint-André, before the team had even left for New Zealand. As a result, journalists with a score to settle were giving free rein to fire away while the players were given licence to ignore what they didn't want hear from their boss.

Despite being widely criticised for his constant chopping and changing, the outgoing coach must be given credit for taking the bold step of bringing the next generation on board early. Maxime Médard, Morgan Parra, François Trinh-Duc, Louis Picamoles, Fabien Barcella, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Maxime Mermoz and Thomas Domingo (who missed the RWC due to injury) were all given an opportunity as youngsters, meaning France will have a group of players with significant Test experience to carry the flame over the next four years.

A number of core squad members, like Lionel Nallet, Cedric Heymans and Damien Traille, will be moving on but there is no lack of player resources in le hexagon. From that perspective, the future looks bright.

Looking into the crystal ball: French flair is dead...long live French flair! Lièvremont started his era promising a return to that abstract notion of le jeu à la française. Unfortunately, rare were the occasions when we saw an all-out positive approach produce positive results and a much more restrictive game plan was the basis for the Grand Slam of 2010.

Those hoping for flash rugby under Saint-André are set to be disappointed. Nothing in his time at the helm at Toulon suggests that PSA will push for the national team to play an open, loose game which has come to be seen as a liability in the professional era. But old habits die hard, and as long as le jeu à la toulousaine continues to reap rewards and thus permeate through France's rugby culture, les Bleus will continue to surprise...and frustrate.

By Ross Hastie

As we do after every major tournament, we take a look at the state of affairs in each of rugby's leading nations. First up, the outgoing champions, South Africa.

World Cup ambitions v results: Any World Cup that ends with the Webb Ellis cup not returning to South Africa will always be considered a failure in the Republic, irrespective of how well the Springboks played.

The Boks would have considered themselves somewhat lucky after sneaking past Wales but that hiccup was the catalyst for the defending champions to step it up a gear, and in their next three pool games they looked like they had found the form needed to compete for the crown.

Unfortunately this World Cup will be remember in SA for that fateful quarter-final against Australia. Conspiracy theories are now the order of the day with many disgruntled fans having their say, much to the embarrassment of those who did not let their emotions get the better of their judgment.

Granted, Bryce Lawrence didn't do the men in green any favours but the Boks' inability to convert their chances into tries in big games had been a problem that plagued them long before a single whistle was blown (or not blown for that matter) in Wellington.

As many an analyst has highlighted, the Boks ultimately paid the price for selections and tactics based on loyalty and stubbornness rather than the reality of the situation before them.

The changing of the guard: The Springbok team of 2012 - never mind 2015 - will be vastly different from the group that travelled to New Zealand. The coaching staff, captain and vice-captain, playmaking scrum-half, stalwart second row and key members of the front row have already packed their bags or are in the process of doing so.

The good news is that there are some world-class replacements ready to step into the breach, including Bismarck du Plessis for John Smit, Andries Bekker for Victor Matfield, Francois Hougaard for Fourie du Preez and "Beast" Mtawarira for Gurthrö Steenkamp.

Versatile Danie Rossouw and hard-hitting Bakkies Botha might be harder to replace however. The likes of Pat Lambie and Juan de Jongh also offer much to be optimistic about as other ageing members of the back-line begin to clear out.

Looking into the crystal ball: Unlike Peter de Villiers, whoever takes over the reins will not have the luxury of inheriting a team that could remain largely unchanged for four years. Rebuilding is the first priority and lot of hard decisions lie ahead.

As discussed above, the departure of core members of the squad will leave a few gaps, not least of all the captaincy, for which there is no clear candidate. Juan Smith and Jean de Villiers are possibilities from the current leadership group, but at the age of 30 neither will make it to the next World Cup. Chiliboy Ralepelle has long been groomed as a future leader but leaving Bismarck du Plessis on the bench any longer is unthinkable.

But before that bridge is crossed, a new coach must be appointed. Candidates are pulling out of the race faster than new ones can be speculated about. Nick Mallet, Rassie Erasmus, Heyneke Meyer and Jake White have all stated with are not available leaving former assistant Allister Coetzee as the most likely man to inherit to the hottest seat in the game.

If Eddie Jones is to be believed, then the new coach has already been appointed behind the scenes. We await the announcement in anticipation...

By Ross Hastie

All Blacks scrum-half Piri Weepu admitted to injuring himself in New Zealand's warm-up to the Rugby World Cup final.

The 28-year-old was reported to have tweaked a groin muscle prior to kick-off as the teams went through their final exercises, and threatened to derail Weepu's starting spot against France.

Weepu played through the pain, but after missing two penalties and a conversion - squandering eight crucial points for his team - he was eventually subbed in the 50th minute, after it was obvious that he wasn't 100 per cent fit.

"I wasn't ready to come off," said Weepu.

"I had a tweak of my groin before the game started and I guess the coaches were only looking out for what was best for the team."

Ultimately, it was down to fourth-choice pivot Stephen Donald to kick the All Blacks to their first Rugby World Cup final win since 1987.

France midfielder Aurélien Rougerie has been accused of eye-gouging All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw in Sunday's World Cup Final.

France are refusing to comment on the accusations while the IRB have confirmed the citing period for the match has expired and it has received no formal complaint.

But the video evidence suggests that Rougerie has a case to answer. A YouTube clip which is doing the rounds on social media networks shows the Clermont centre going into a ruck with contact made between the Frenchman's head and McCaw's. Rougerie's hands then make contact with McCaw's eye area as he stands up. McCaw required treatment from the New Zealand medical staff after the incident.

The All Blacks captain downplayed the eye-gouging reports but did not deny his eye was injured late in the game.

"I got a poke in the eye but I don't know if there was any intent," he said as the All Blacks victory road show moved to earthquake-stricken Christchurch.

Rugby commentator Keith Quinn has however called on the IRB to take action.

"It was clearly seen on TV," he told Radio New Zealand.

"I made the remark it looked like eye-gouging yesterday in a social situation and had confirmation from a source, which I'm saying is close to the New Zealand team, that eye-gouging took place."

France media manager Lionel Rossigneux said they would not be commenting on the allegations, but remarked out that "a knee hit the face of Morgan Parra by Richie McCaw".

"The service of the French team is that we are not doing any comment on that," Rossigneux told the New Zealand Herald.

"We just found it a bit sad that after the Rugby World Cup that there is still some stories in the newspaper rather than celebrating the All Blacks' victory.''

The incident has sparked a fresh battle between the Herald and elements of the French press with both sides accusing refereeing Craig Joubert of doing their team a disservice in final. McCaw's alleged multiple transgressions at the breakdown in dying minutes have received widespread coverage in the French press.

Samoan skipper Mahonri Schwalger has delivered a damning report on the behaviour of team management during the World Cup.

In a letter to Samoan Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi, Schwalger listed a number of problems which he believes hindered the team's ability to compete during the competition.

While full of praise for the coaching team, who did an "amazing" job and "worked really hard", Schwalger was highly critical of those further up the food chain.

In the letter, which was published by the Samoan Observer, the hooker hit out at vice chairman Lefau Harry Schuster, CEO Su'a Peter Schuster, team manager Tuala Mathew Vaea and assistant manager Ryan Schuster.

"Harry was a totally different person I expected him to be," Schwalger said of the vice chairman.

"The whole camp, he was there to enjoy himself with his mates etc."

According to the skipper, CEO Su'a Schuster was also more interested in having a party than anything else.

"Su'a turned up to the World Cup treating it like a holiday. Drinking and bringing his friends to the team hotel bar," the captain explained.

"...we found this a big distraction for the players whilst they are trying to prepare for every game."

Perhaps the harshest criticism was saved for team manager Tuala Mathew Vaea.

"Matthew is definitely out for himself," asserted Schwalger.

"I feel that he did not want to be there at most times as he would disappear from the team for 2 to 3 days during all the weeks. He would also go out drinking every single day during the World Cup. He acted like he is the owner of the team and not the manager.

"We as the team feel that our preparation was tainted by not having people in vital positions committed to their duties and responsibilities before every game."

He added that: "We feel that Matt did not want the team to do well."

Assistant manager Ryan Schuster too came in for some heavy criticism.

"He was trying to do Tuala's job and cover for him while Tuala was out drinking and playing golf," said Schwalger.

"The biggest problem with Ryan is, he is very dishonest when it comes to the gears. He practically was there as Tuala's bum boy and we felt sorry for him because he could not do the job properly. His unprofessionalism was a bit much as he would constantly swear to the players and treated everything as a joke."

While the captain's comments are sure to cause controversy now that they are in the public realm, Schwalger is intent on doing whatever is possible to help Samoan rugby.

"Personally, I feel that in order for our team to go forward we need to have honest and committed people or we will never go anywhere," he concluded the letter.

"From Harry, to board members that were there at the World Cup, they treated this as a massive holiday.

"On behalf of myself and the boys, we would like to thank you very much for your support and the country's support. Without your support we will never be in this position. We all need to sort this mess out not only for the present but mainly for the future generation. I promise you, if this part is sorted out by getting the right people to do the job, Samoa will be unstoppable."

All Blacks manager Darren Shand believes it is unfair that France have been fined for confronting the haka in Sunday's RWC final.

As the New Zealand team performed the ceremonial haka, known as Kapa O Pango, France linked arms and formed a 'V' formation, then fanned out as marched from the 10 meter line towards halfway.

The French team has been fined NZ$5000 (2880 Euro) for breaching an International Rugby Board regulation on how the haka should be faced, introduced after previous confrontations.

The fine was not for the response to the haka itself, but the fact that some French players stepped over the halfway line.

Shand said in a radio interview on Tuesday a fine was too severe a sanction for the offence.

"They came to play and that was great," he said.

"The culture challenge is that. It should be done and then we get on with the real stuff," added Shand.

France captain Thierry Dusautoir said the French team had decided on the morning of the match to confront the haka.

"At one stage we were so close to them that they wanted to kiss the New Zealanders, but I told them to take it easy," he explained.

"It was a great moment and a moment we will remember all our lives."

Wales have dropped two places in the latest IRB World Rankings following their loss to Australia in the World Cup bronze medal play-off.

New Zealand remain on top of the rankings after beating France in the final on Sunday, although their cushion at the top has been reduced slightly.

The All Blacks have occupied top spot for the last 23 months and for nearly 80 per cent of the time since the rankings were introduced in October 2003, but would have surrendered that position to France had they suffered more RWC heartbreak against Les Bleus.

France's third, and by far the closest, defeat in a RWC Final means they remain third in the rankings behind bronze medal winners Australia and just over three tenths above South Africa, a nation they climbed above last week to break the southern hemisphere dominance of the top three.

Australia's 21-18 victory over Wales in the Bronze Final on Friday improved their rating by nearly a point and as a result has reduced their deficit to New Zealand to 4.01 points. The defeat was costly for Wales as the points exchange meant they dropped below Ireland and Argentina to eighth.

However, it wasn't only the final two matches of Rugby World Cup 2011 which had an impact on the latest IRB World Rankings with three European Nations Cup matches resulting in three climbs, the biggest by Israel who jump six places to 61st after beating Austria 28-26.

The weekend's other European Nations Cup encounter brought together Lithuania and Sweden in Division 2C, two sides ranked next to each other in 38th and 39th respectively and separated by just half a point. The match ended in a 30-30 draw, but with Lithuania the home side they now slip below Sweden.

IRB World Rankings:

1(1) New Zealand 91.43
2(2) Australia 87.42
3(3) France 84.70
4(4) South Africa 84.34
5(5) England 81.58
6(7) Ireland 80.65
7(8) Argentina 80.28
8(6) Wales 80.18
9(9) Tonga 76.63
10(10) Scotland 76.20
11(11) Samoa 75.81
12(12) Italy 73.99
13(13) Canada 72.92
14(14) Georgia 71.09
15(15) Japan 70.45
16(16) Fiji 68.78
17(17) USA 65.63
18(18) Romania 63.98
19(19) Namibia 61.24
20(20) Portugal 60.67

With thanks to the IRB

All Blacks fly-half Aaron Cruden said winning the World Cup relieves the pain of the knee injury suffered against France in Sunday's final.

Cruden was forced off the field with an injured knee and was replaced by Stephen Donald, who went on to convert the match-winning penalty.

"I don't think words can really describe it at this point but I'm just very honoured and humbled to be given this opportunity and be a part of what is now a winning World Cup team here on home soil," Cruden said.

The 21-year-old was drafted into the All Blacks squad after Dan Carter withdrew with a groin injury and was soon in the starting XV when Carter's replacement Colin Slade also sustained a groin injury.

Cruden said he does not know how serious his injury is at this stage.

"I'm not too sure about it at this point. The doc has looked at the footage and reckons it's a hyper-extension, but hopefully I'm a quick healer and I'll be back soon," he explained.

"I heard a bit of a snap and I sort of knew that probably wasn't a good thing, but I just asked the doc what she thought and she said 'have a bit of a walk around and see how you go'.

"It was the World Cup final so I didn't really want to come off but unfortunately the knee gave way and I had to come off.

"But I had all the faith in Stephen and all the boys knew he'd step up and do the job and I thought he was outstanding.

"I was pretty gutted to be sitting on the bench but I got right behind the team and I knew the boys were out there giving it everything.

"Obviously I wished I was able to be out there with them but it wasn't to be.

"The boys threw everything at it and left it all out on the field and it's outstanding to get the result," added Cruden.

He could not explain the All Blacks' run of bad luck with their playmakers during the World Cup.

"It has been a bit of a bad run for the fly-halves here but to get a result like that on home soil was just outstanding."

France hooker Dimitri Szarzewski believes the Auckland crowd played a significant role in helping New Zealand win the World Cup on Sunday.

Szarzewski, who came on as a replacement for William Servat, said it felt like they were "playing 15 against 16" as the crowd's support helped the All Blacks to keep Les Bleus at bay - especially in the last 20 minutes.

"We are very frustrated. But that's just sport," said Szarzewski.

"We were playing 15 against 16 and everyone found it logical that New Zealand won. We put pressure on them, but it wasn't enough.

"There wasn't much difference. We countered them, but it wasn't enough. The kicking was bad for both teams. But we are not disappointed about our World Cup," he added.

Fellow front-rower, prop Fabien Bacella, put France's defeat in perspective by comparing it to their 9-8 semi-final win over Wales.

"To lose a final like this, with such a small margin, in such difficult conditions, it's very sad," said Barcella.

"This week we deserved to win and lost, whereas last week (against Wales) we deserved to lose and won."

With several senior players set to leave the international stage and coach Marc Lièvremont stepping down it is the end of an era for France.

"It's special because several players are retiring. It was Lionel Nallet's last World Cup game. He is such an example to me," Barcella said.

"I am proud to be French. I wouldn't want to swap my jersey to be an All Black for anything in the world."

Wales can't be certain of hosting any matches in the 2015 Rugby World Cup, International Rugby Board chairman Bernard Lapasset said on Monday.

England won the bid to hold the tournament on its own, but Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chief executive Roger Lewis has been pushing lately for Millennium Stadium in Cardiff to host pool games involving Wales and up to two quarter-finals not involving the Welsh.

However, the Tri-Nations powerhouses have opposed Wales playing at the Millennium Stadium, saying that if Wales and England are placed together in a pool then the other teams in the pool would be disadvantaged by conceding home advantage twice.

Lapasset said the IRB and England 2015 organisers have discussed using the Millennium Stadium without making any decisions yet.

"No guarantee (for Wales)," Lapasset said.

"We have two objectives. The first is maximising revenues to be successful, and the second objective is to run a quality tournament for everyone like we have done in New Zealand.

"We opened 12 venues (in New Zealand) to make it possible for as many fans to participate. It will be the same in England, but which cities in England we have not decided."

England have proposed using Twickenham and Wembley in London, and Leicester's Welford Road, Gloucester's Kingsholm, Leeds' Elland Road. The English were also interested in football arenas Old Trafford, Anfield, St. James Park and Emirates Stadium, subject to their needs.

One certainty was there will be midweek matches by the Tier One teams in 2015.

The unfair scheduling became a major issue in this World Cup, with top teams given up to a week's rest between games at the behest of their broadcasters, who finance the IRB. Meanwhile, the lower-rated sides had to endure frequent breaks of only four days, handicapping their chances of making the quarter-finals.

The IRB has committed to reviewing scheduling, and Lapasset said it will be easier to slot Tier One teams in midweek matches in England because the big-money broadcasters in Europe were mainly in the same time zone.

He wasn't prepared, however, to commit to a minimum rest period for all teams.

"We have to be fair for all unions, fair for all teams engaged in the tournament, so it's the same tournament for everyone," he said.

"We have seen in this tournament the Tier Two teams can compete in the first week at a high level, there's no big difference in the scores between Tier One and Tier Two, but after this it is different.

"We need to manage this process to be sure of a fair tournament for every team, and the quality of the games are the same in the whole tournament."

He added the Tier Two and Three teams could expect more games against the Tri-Nations and Six Nations sides they need to improve themselves in the IRB tour plans drawn up from next year to the 2019 World Cup.

The main problem he believed needed addressing was ensuring the lower teams had their best players available, in the ongoing club-versus-country debate which prevented some players from appearing for the Pacific island sides in New Zealand.

"The best players in Tier Two teams don't all play at home," Lapasset said.

"A lot are playing in France, England, etc, and to be sure we can present the best against the best we need to ensure the Tier Two unions have the capacity to present the best players in their team."

France captain Thierry Dusautoir has been named the IRB Player of the Year, during a star-studded ceremony in Auckland on Monday.

Dusautoir is the second Frenchman to win the award, following in the footsteps of former national team captain, Fabien Galthié, who claimed the accolade in 2002.

New Zealand were named IRB Team of the Year and Graham Henry IRB Coach of the Year, to add to the Rugby World Cup crown they claimed at Eden Park with a hard-fought 8-7 victory over the French on Sunday.

Dusautoir was outstanding all season for France, including in the World Cup and particularly the final where his defensive effort and ball-carrying inspired the French against the hosts.

He was picked ahead of five other nominees - New Zealand scrum-half Piri Weepu, flanker Jerome Kaino and centre Ma'a Nonu and Australia flanker David Pocock and halfback Will Genia.

The winners were selected by the awards' independent panel of judges, chaired by Rugby World Cup-winner John Eales and made up of former internationals with more than 500 caps between them. The panel deliberated on every major Test match played this year, starting with the first Six Nations match and finishing with the Rugby World Cup 2011 Final.

The glittering event, which also celebrated 125 years of the International Rugby Board, was a fitting finale to what IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset described as an "exceptional" Rugby World Cup and was attended by all four semi-final teams, royalty and stars from sport and entertainment.

Earlier in the day, an estimated 240,000 fans turned up to catch a glimpse of the All Blacks who were last to arrive at the Vector Arena with the Webb Ellis Cup.

Other award winners on the night included South Africa's Cecil Afrika, who won the IRB Sevens Player of the Year. Afrika was the outstanding player from the 2010/11 HSBC Sevens World Series and finished as the top try and point scorer. Afrika scored 40 tries and 385 points across seven events, returning from injury in double quick time to inspire the Blitzbokke to Cup success in Las Vegas, and was also key in their victories in London and Scotland.

England's George Ford took home the IRB Junior Player of the Year gong. Ford becomes England's first recipient of this award after playing a key role in his country's run to the IRB Junior World Championship 2011 final in Italy, where they ultimately lost 33-22 to New Zealand.

Australia number eight Radike Samo was awarded the IRPA Try of the Year, for his effort in the Tri-Nations decider between New Zealand and Australia in Brisbane. The Fijian-born 35-year-old forward received the ball on his own 10m line and shrugged off a couple of All Black defenders before outsprinting the cover defence to score a remarkable individual try.

Full list of IRB awards winners

IRB Player of the Year: Thierry Dusautoir
IRB Team of the Year: New Zealand
IRB Coach of the Year: Graham Henry
IRB Junior Player of the Year: George Ford, England
IRB Sevens Player of the Year in association with HSBC: Cecil Afrika, South Africa
IRB Women's Personality of the Year: Ruth Mitchell
IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service: Keith Lawrence
Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service: Jock Hobbs
IRB Development Award: Rookie Rugby
IRB Spirit of Rugby Award: Wooden Spoon
IRPA Special Merit Award: George Smith, Australia
IRPA Try of the Year: Radike Samo, Australia v New Zealand

Rugby teams often say they keep something up their sleeve for big moments. New Zealand saved a beauty for the Rugby World Cup final on Sunday.

The All Blacks' only try in the 8-7 victory came from a brilliant line-out move just metres from the France tryline. It led to prop Tony Woodcock rushing through a chasm in the defence and diving over in the 15th minute for the first points of the heartstopping match.

Piri Weepu's penalty touchfinder to the right corner set up the line-out in which New Zealand fooled France.

Front jumper Sam Whitelock and his lifters rushed forward leaving a huge gap behind them. Keven Mealamu threw over them to flanker Jerome Kaino, who tapped down in front of him to Woodcock charging through the hole.

The burly loosehead prop easily brushed aside France scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili and scored.

"We put that one up our sleeve and saved it for the final, so I'm pretty happy it came off," Woodcock said.

"It was definitely a team effort.

"We pulled it out against the Aussies and got a try there as well."

He was referring to a test against Australia in 2008, also on Eden Park, where Woodcock scored his second try in two minutes off a similar lineout move, that time taking the tap down from Ali Williams, who also played on Sunday.

Woodcock, the All Blacks' most capped prop with 83 Tests, was one of four in the team who played in the 2007 quarter-final defeat to France, beside fellow forwards Richie McCaw, Ali Williams and Andrew Hore.

Thoughts of 2007 came to Woodcock as the All Blacks were put under immense pressure from France in the last quarter while clinging to a one-point lead. The thought of giving up a penalty that might cost them the final drove the All Blacks to make every tackle.

"We knew the French would turn up and it would be a close game," he said.

"Probably didn't want it to be that tight, but it was gutsy from everyone. When you have to work hard for things, it makes it even more special.

"We just defended and defended and just held them out. At times we were stretched, but I guess the heart of the guys came through.

"Throughout that last 20 minutes, I definitely had thoughts of what happened in 2007 running through my head. It was just desperation, really."

The 30-year-old Woodcock suffered a foot ligament strain that sidelined him for three months this year. The All Blacks coaches sweated on his recovery, and he was fit just in time to play the last two Tri-Nations matches to prove his readiness before the World Cup.

His value was underlined by his starting every match in his second World Cup, and scoring his first try in the competition. It was also his eighth test try, and first against anyone other than Australia or South Africa.

Now he can call himself a World Cup winner.

"It hasn't sunk in. It's unbelievable," he said.

"Especially after 2007, what happened there and being involved in that, I'm just so rapt to get the win.

"I guess in the next few days it will sink in that we won a World Cup."

Hundreds of thousands of jubilant New Zealanders packed central Auckland for the All Blacks victory parade Monday, celebrating their "ultimate achievement" in winning the Rugby World Cup.

"It's such a small trophy but what it means is huge," captain Richie McCaw said, holding the Webb Ellis Cup aloft to the cheers of a crowd of 240,000 according to local media estimates.

"It's pretty awesome. I'm blown away by the amount of people who are out," added McCaw as the motorcade inched its way through a sea of people, most dressed in black and straining to catch a glimpse of their heroes.

"It means so much to everyone who supports the team and is a Kiwi at the moment. We're so pleased we've got it in our hands. It wasn't until turning up here we understood what it meant."

Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister John Key led a stream of congratulatory messages to the team after the All Blacks pipped France 8-7 in a nail-biting final at Auckland's Eden Park on Sunday.

The New Zealanders had been under enormous public pressure to win the crown for the first time in 24 years to appease their supporters in a land where rugby success is seen as a symbol of what the country stands for.

"The All Blacks have achieved the ultimate in world rugby - they have won the Rugby World Cup. It is an achievement built on courage, determination, grit and great teamwork," Key said.

"These are all values that New Zealanders hold highly and I know Kiwis will be very proud of their team - they are deserving world champions."

Britain's Queen Elizabeth, who is also New Zealand's head of state, sent her congratulations to the All Blacks "for their excellent performances," said a spokesman for her Buckingham Palace office in London.

Flanker Jerome Kaino, one of the stars of the tournament described the reaction to the victory over France as "awesome" as many in the crowd burst into singing the New Zealand national anthem "God of Nations".

"It wasn't that long ago we were counting down the days to the World Cup and there was a lot of pressure on us, but to win the World Cup and have the whole country behind us celebrating is awesome," Kaino said.

New Zealand's second world crown - coming more than two decades after they won the inaugural tournament in 1987, also beating France in the final at Eden Park - dominated the news in a country which regards itself as rugby's spiritual home.

Repeated failures in the intervening years saw the All Blacks branded 'chokers', leading coach Graham Henry to say there was "no greater expectation in rugby than the expectations on the All Blacks".

And until the final whistle the outcome was in doubt as France, just one point behind, attacked for most of the last 30 minutes but were held out by an All Blacks side driven by fear of another failure.

"The beast had been slain, the torment which had followed the All Blacks for the past five tournaments had been erased," trumpeted the New Zealand Herald with a front-page headline which read "Sweet Merci".

"France had given them a greater scare than anyone imagined. It was a gut-churning second half as France sought their first World Cup title and the All Blacks battled for redemption."

The Dominion Post played on the French theme with "Parc de Triomphe" and "Ooh la la it was close" over a full page photo of McCaw hoisting the cup.

The front of The Press newspaper carried a full page photo of a determined Kaino bursting through a tackle with the one word "Champions" across the top of the page and "The agony is over" at the bottom.

The Press said the victory "banished 24 years of Rugby World Cup heartache".

The New Zealand Rugby Union has announced further victory parades will be held in Christchurch and Wellington on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.

France utility back Damien Traille says the future of French rugby looks to be in good hands after pushing New Zealand close in the RWC final.

France lost 8-7 but won back its pride and restored the hopes of its fans.

Veterans such as lock Lionel Nallet, hooker William Servat, prop Jean-Baptiste Poux and Traille are unlikely to play in another World Cup, but the younger players will have gained huge confidence from what was a testing tournament for France.

The likes of Francois Trinh-Duc, Morgan Parra and Maxime Medard hold the keys to a bright future. All are in their early-to-mid 20s and already have significant experience at international level.

"I think there's a young generation coming through which has a lot of quality, whether it's in sporting or human terms. This is important, because the French team needs this," the 32-year-old Traille said.

"A few of the veterans are going to step down, but I think the young players can take over and help the French team experience some good times.

"I hope many of them will be here in four years and that the French team will win the World Cup one day."

The 22-year-old Parra started the tournament as a replacement scrum-half to Dimitri Yachvili, but ended up being first-choice fly-half, playing with a maturity and intelligence befitting of a far more senior player.

Trinh-Duc, 24, shook off the disappointment of being dropped to the bench after Parra's unexpected positional change and responded with an inspirational performance when he came on midway through the first half of Sunday's final.

France also has Jean Marc Doussain, another scrum-half, who is waiting for his chance. The 20-year-old Doussain went on for the last five minutes to replace a tiring Yachvili, marking his international debut in the biggest match of all.

"Whether it's Morgan, Francois, Maxime Medard, it's a young generation that has a lot of talent," Traille said.

"You could see that in the way Morgan adapted so quickly to playing number ten. The future's looking bright."

France was lambasted for its poor form in the pool stage, ridiculed after its 19-14 defeat to Tonga, and written off by most critics before it had even taken the field to face England in the quarter-finals.

The French players had stern words with each other after the Tonga loss.

"We'll need a bit of time to take stock of everything. There were some positives, some negatives," said winger Vincent Clerc, who co-led the tournament with six tries.

"We had trouble communicating with each other, it wasn't perfect. But that's the case with a lot of generations."

But from the rubble of that humiliating Tonga defeat, France grew. The feeling of negativity enveloping the squad just as quickly turned into one of passion, pride, and a feverish obsession to prove the critics wrong.

"Everyone had predicted there would be no final," Traille said.

"We were heavily criticised, we heard it all."

Many of the critics were camped within the French press, which was aghast at coach Marc Lièvremont's defense-minded approach to rugby, and accused the team of breaking with its long-standing tradition for flair and attacking rugby, which was carved in stone by the likes of full-back Serge Blanco.

Blanco, however, never joined the chorus of former internationals queuing up to slate the current team.

"There is disappointment, but also a lot of pride. The team gave everything it had, that's what's so great," Blanco said.

"When you give 120 per cent you come out stronger. I'm so proud of what they've done. It will help them to have a bright future and to take their place in the history of French rugby."

The outspoken, frank-talking of Lièvremont may have upset some players, but it also served as a catalyst to sting their pride. None more so than when he labeled them as "spoilt brats" just a week before the final after they had defied his orders and went out into the night to celebrate the semi-final win over Wales.

France's topsy-turvy tournament featured a myriad of emotions, crushing lows and sumptuous highs, but it also created a true team spirit that should serve the team as a reference point in the years to come.

"We will have to remember all the moments we spent together, because it's a human adventure which stays with you for life," lock Julien Pierre said.

"Even if everything wasn't perfect, we gave everything we had. Now we're going to get drunk together, and drink some beers like spoilt brats!"

International Rugby Board (IRB) chairman Bernard Lapasset praised an "exceptional" World Cup and said New Zealand had put itself in a position to host the tournament again.

"Yes, why not?" Lapasset told a news conference when asked if New Zealand could hold another World Cup.

"It has been one of the best tournaments ever. The Rugby World Cup is not just to make money, it is also for rugby and we have a lot of rugby reasons to come back to New Zealand.

"New Zealand proved they are a great rugby nation and have a great capacity to run a big and successful tournament."

The first World Cup staged solely in New Zealand - after it co-hosted the inaugural 1987 tournament, which the All Blacks also won, with Australia - is slated to make a $NZ40 million (US$32 million), according to official figures.

But sponsor MasterCard estimated the shortfall would be dwarfed by the NZ$750 million ($654 million benefit) to the overall economy from increased tourism and consumer spending, with more than NZ$2 billion long-term benefits.

And with the World Cup providing 95 per cent of the IRB's income, Australia coach Robbie Deans, who is a New Zealander, wondered if this edition might be the last in his home country.

But Lapasset said the tournament's seventh edition had achieved all its targets, calling it a "sporting and operational success" which had "set the bar" for future World Cup hosts, starting with England in four years' time.

"New Zealanders should be proud of their event," the Frenchman added.

"They made it special by embracing the tournament the length and breadth of the country, welcoming all 20 teams and 100 000 international visitors with open arms.

"It was quite remarkable. It has also taken our sport to new audiences and has set the bar for future hosts."

New Zealand Rugby Union chairman Mike Eagle said the tournament had proved the country, whose infrastructure capability was questioned by some pundits in the lead-up to the World Cup, was capable of staging major events.

"We've shown that we can run a tournament and let's hope for people in years to come that we can see the Rugby World Cup back down here in New Zealand," he said.

The IRB added that revenue from the commercial programme at this World Cup, including broadcast, sponsorship and travel and hospitality would deliver an estimated £80 million ($128 million) net surplus boost to rugby worldwide.

In the 2009-2012 investment cycle, the IRB said it would spend £150 million to develop rugby around the world in order that "future Rugby World Cups are more competitive and that more men, women and children can play the game".

France playmaker Morgan Parra's World Cup ended with a blow to the head but he says he'll head back home holding it high after Sunday's World Cup Final.

The Clermont back started the World Cup on the bench and ended it the same way, as an injury cut short his involvement in the first half of the one-point loss to New Zealand at Eden Park.

Parra took a knee to the side of the head from flanker Richie McCaw after being caught underneath the ruck, and spent time in the blood bin, with François Trinh-Duc coming on to replace him.

"I was bleeding a bit, I took a knock and I was a bit dazed," said Parra, who had heavy bruising under both eyes as he spoke after the match.

"I was trying to get out from under the ruck, I took a knee to the face, it wasn't when (Ma'a) Nonu tackled me, but afterward. Did he (McCaw) mean it? I don't know. I haven't seen the footage. But it wasn't from Nonu."

Parra returned shortly after, but lasted only five minutes before coming off a second time. Parra held his head in his hands and looked distraught as he left the field.

"I wanted to come back on, but my neck and head were hurting, and then I took another kick to it ... that's how it goes," said Parra.

"That's how it goes, what can you do? I wasn't targeted any more than last week. I know that when you play number 10 and you weigh 80 kilos people go looking for you more."

The 22-year-old Parra started the tournament as reserve scrum-half until coach Marc Lièvremont made a bold decision to drop his regular fly-half Trinh-Duc and convert Parra to number ten.

For Parra and Trinh-Duc, the World Cup has gone full circle.

Watching from the bench as Trinh-Duc finished the match, Parra thought New Zealand would crack.

"We knew that holding the All Blacks to a few points at half-time, they would only score a minimal amount of points in the match and that everything was possible in the second-half," said Parra.

"It didn't go our way, even though I think we deserved better. It was a difficult, hostile atmosphere to play in, but we were ready. It was a great adventure. It would have been nice to finish with a World Cup title, but it wasn't to be.".

"We worked hard for weeks for this, people told us we didn't deserve to be here, but we showed tonight that we certainly did," added Parra.

"The positive thing is that we can walk away from this World Cup with our heads held high."

Amidst suggestions that France were handed a raw deal in Sunday's World Cup Final, Bleus coach Marc Lièvremont has taken the high road and not blamed the referee for the result.

The clear underdogs at kick-off, France shocked the rugby world with arguably their best performance in four years in Auckland.

The French dominated large periods of the second half and some have suggested that they deserved a penalty that could have handed them victory.

Despite being bombarded by repeated questions regarding the officiating, Head Coach Lièvremont would not be drawn into criticism of referee Craig Joubert.

"I met him (Joubert) two days ago and I told him that I thought he is the best referee in the world," said Lièvremont.

"I told him that the pressure must be enormous and that everyone can make mistakes. I promised him that whatever happened, I would not say anything about the refereeing."

While some pundits have suggested that Richie McCaw was lucky to get away with not being blown up more regularly at the breakdown as the French plied the pressure, his opposite number, Thierry Dusautoir, was gracious in defeat.

"I am very disappointed with the result but it's not the moment to criticise the referee," said Dusautoir.

"He is one of the best in the world and we did not do enough to get the vital penalty we needed at the end."

The France scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili was however prepared to go a step further.

"The referee was under a lot of pressure," he said.

"He did not want us to win. That said, I think New Zealand deserved their win because they are the best team in the world. They have shown that throughout the tournament."

Fly-half François Trinh-Duc was equally frustrated.

"I'm not going to throw stones at the ref, we know that the context was against us," he said.

All Black skipper Richie McCaw has paid tribute to the momentous effort his men put in to win the 2011 World Cup final.

The Kiwis were forced to pull out all the stops to beat a spirited French outfit 8-7 in an enthralling tournament finale.

The flanker was the first to admit that they didn't play their best - in part due to French pressure - but hailed his side's determination.

"It wasn't very pretty, but it came down to how much desire, how much courage the boys had," he said.

"A lot of guys have put a lot of effort in for a long time, and they weren't going to let the opportunity go.

"We probably didn't play our best, but we played good enough. I take my hat off to every single player who took to the field."

Thierry Dusautoir's converted try in the 48th minute brought France to within one point of their hosts, a score which would have made many All Black fans fearing that their side would once again fall short when it really mattered.

"The big thing was not panicking," McCaw said of the situation.

"We had talked about being in situations like that for a few years, and what we would do in those situations.

"You have got to keep the belief and trust. We had to dig pretty deep, but the last thing we wanted to do was panic. We managed to hang in there.

"We know we were going to be in for a hell of a game. We realised that all week. You couldn't get much tougher than it was today.

"The guys stuck to their guns, and we got there."

The moment of victory was made even sweeter for McCaw and coach Graham Henry considering they were at the helm when the All Blacks unexpectedly crashed out against the French four years ago.

"Personally, you've got some peace, and that's a great feeling," said Henry.

"This thing was about winning, and the guys have won the World Cup. That is outstanding.

"We have been through a lot together. A lot of the guys played in the last World Cup and fell at the quarter-final (against France), and to win this, there are no words for it, quite frankly."

Henry paid tribute to the tremendous showing from Marc Lièvremont's men and praised his side for coping with the pressure that was put on them.

"We were under a lot of pressure. France gave very few penalties away, their defence was very strong and we gutsed it out. I think that shows some mental strength," he explained.

"This team has been ranked number one in the world for a long time, and it is just great to be able to hang in there and do the business and under real pressure.

"The French played particularly well for long periods of that game and controlled the ball. To play in those situations and hang in there and come through with a win is something we wouldn't have done perhaps two or three years ago."

The result brings Henry's tenure as All Blacks coach to an end, with his assistant, Steve Hansen, favoured to take over.

While desperately disappointed to have gone down 8-7 in the World Cup final, French skipper Thierry Dusautoir praised his troops' effort.

The French put in a titanic effort in a match that nobody gave them a chance in, ending just short of claiming a shock victory.

Man-of-the-match Dusautoir was clearly downbeat after the defeat but was quick to recognise what his team had achieved.

"It's a real pity. We are really disappointed. I am really proud of my boys and what they did in the World Cup," he said.

"We lost two games in the pool and we came to the final. It's good for New Zealand and good for the country, but I am really disappointed."

On the pressure the team was under from the press during this week, Dusautoir revealed that he believes Les Bleus have silenced a lot of their critics.

"We read a lot of stuff this week but I thought we showed we know how to play rugby," he concluded.

Coach Marc Lièvremont was a man of few words after the final whistle.

Heavily critical of his players at times during the tournament, Lièvremont had nothing but praise to this time around.

"It is tremendously sad and I am tremendously proud (of the players)," he said.

"We said the All Blacks were the best team in the world. Tonight the French team was great."

Asked whether he was proud of his team, the 42-year-old was in doubt.

"Certainly," he asserted. "They made many promises to themselves and I think they kept them tonight."

The French players echoed the sentiments expressed by their coach and captain.

"It was really close," said flanker Julien Bonnaire. "We can hold our heads high at the end of this World Cup. We gave it our all, just as we said we would."

"We thought before the game that we should give everything so that we would not have any regrets," added scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili. "It was close. We stuck together.

"We are disappointed we did not make it, but we are proud of ourselves."

Match-winner Stephen Donald, who not too long ago was whitebaiting in Hamilton, was delighted to become an All Black hero in Auckland on Sunday.

Donald kicked his country to glory at Eden Park as they saw off the French 8-7 in a closely-faught encounter that ended 24 years of Webb Ellis hurt.

And it was quite a World Cup debut for the former Chiefs man as he emerged from the sidelines for an injured Aaron Cruden just before half-time.

"It's a funny sort of feeling. I'm just fortunate to get the opportunity to come into such a great team," he said about making his RWC debut in a Final.

"There are people out there who undermined my status as an All Black. To get the chance to prove that I am an All Black is good. I think a World Cup Final is a pretty good place to start."

On his decisive penalty kick, Donald admitted he wasn't nervous when lining up the effort.

"At the time I didn't think much of it. It was just a kick out in front and I just put it over," he said.

"I haven't kicked a ball in about six weeks. At the time I didn't think it would be important, but it turned out that way.

"My mates are probably thinking 'there's the bloke who was kicking back with a few beers and going whitebaiting with us out in the middle of Eden Park'."

Meanwhile, retiring lock Brad Thorn struggled to hold back the emotion of becoming a world champion for his country after what's been a fine career for the former rugby league forward.

"I'm just humbled. I'm too emotional," he said.

"I'll be talking about this when I've got no teeth.

"You think of all the hard work, just busting your guts. But I'm just part of a great team."

By Adam Kyriacou at Eden Park

It was not as convincing as many fans expected but the All Blacks held on to claim an 8-7 success over France and with it their second World Cup crown.

Les Bleus were a completely different side to the one that had fallen to the 2011 hosts and also Tonga during the Pool stages. And they pushed the Kiwis right up until the death in a highly-charged 80 minutes at Eden Park on Sunday.

But New Zealand managed to beat their rivals who had caused them such bother in the past, ultimately banishing their 1999 and 2007 ghosts.

The score has a certain eeriness to it too - '87?

Auckland was alive with All Blacks supporters all afternoon as the whole population hoped for an end to their 24 years of Webb Ellis hurt. Tickets were not sold out however as only hours before kick-off, sales were still going: cheapest for $401 ranging up to £1280 for the most expensive.

France meanwhile had banked on proving that their 6/1 bookmaker price for a game of such magnitude was way off the mark, and they duly racked up the phases inside opposition territory. This followed les Bleus refusing to back down from the Kapa O Pango - in fact they marched into it.

A marker was well-and-truly thrown down by France.

It was always going to be key for France to deprive New Zealand of the same start they enjoyed against the Wallabies and that was exactly what they managed, keeping the All Blacks away from the red zone despite an early penalty miss from fan favourite Piri Weepu.

Their starvation attempt did not last as back came the All Blacks following a solid touch-finder from scrum-half Weepu. And from that ensuing line-out, superb off-the-top ball back inside to Tony Woodcock saw the prop ghost through unopposed. Cue a big sigh of relief.

Suddenly the momentum had swung while Morgan Parra continued to struggle, which eventually led to Francois Trinh-Duc replacing him. France were not going to be alone in losing their fly-half though as six minutes before the break, Aaron Cruden exited injured.

Breakdown supremacy was also always going to be vital and as is their wont in 2011, the All Blacks soon dominated matters, which should have resulted in another three from Weepu. However, the former Hurricane looked like he was kicking in one with another missed shot.

Despite those six points from the tee having gone begging, there was little worrying New Zealand heading past the half-hour mark but as this nation had become accustomed to, France aren't to be taken lightly, particularly with only a five-point lead taken into the sheds.

Marc Lievremont was clearly encouraged from what he had seen from his charges and sent the French back out from the break with the greater intent, but this time it was they who counted the cost of a penalty miss. Dimitri Yachvili sending the ball just wide of the uprights.

It looked like New Zealand had made the visitors pay for that failed attempt when first-half replacement Stephen Donald slotted from bang in front, but as the French have a habit of doing in this tournament, they soon came back to haunt their hosts. Thierry Dusautoir it was who crossed as the All Blacks fell asleep in defence following Donald's effort. The visiting captain burrowed his way over close to the post to make it an easy conversion for Trinh-Duc.

Suddenly the nerves of yesteryear were weighing on the hearts and shoulders of the 61,000 supporters at Eden Park as play nervously pitched itself on the halfway line coming up to the hour mark. That aforementioned 6/1 bookies price tag had become a great amount shorter.

France had the chance to snatch an unlikely World Cup crown on 63 minutes when Trinh-Duc lined up a 45-metre penalty but it proved unsuccessful as New Zealand weathered both the French storm and the pressure they'd put on themselves after almost a quarter-of-a-century without the Webb Ellis trophy.

The game was on a knife edge right until the final moments but the hosts just managed to hold on and end 24 years of waiting for their second RWC, McCaw left holding the prize.

Man of the match: Yet another towering performance from Imanol Harinordoquy has gone into the locker of the Biarritz stalwart. The number eight proved once again he is a must in this French line-up as he foiled several home line-outs, ran well in open play and also had a good night in close quarters. However, along with Thierry Dusautoir, Richie McCaw put in captain's performance on Sunday and was colossal at the breakdown. Big game effort.

Moment of the match: It had looked like France were going to upset New Zealand in 1999, 2007 and now 2011 when Francois Trinh-Duc lined up a long-range penalty attempt with only a quarter of the game remaining. The replacement fly-half did not get hold of his attempt though and that proved the difference between the two when it came down to it.

Villain of the match: A game played in good spirits. Nothing to report.

The scorers:

For France:
Try: Dusautoir
Con: Trinh-Duc

For New Zealand:
Tries: Woodcock
Pen: Donald

France: 15 Maxime Médard, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Aurélien Rougerie, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Alexis Palisson, 10 Morgan Parra, 9 Dimitri Yachvili, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Julien Bonnaire, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Pascal Papé, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Jean-Baptiste Poux.
Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Fabien Barcella, 18 Julien Pierre, 19 Fulgence Ouedraogo, 20 Jean-Marc Doussain, 21 François Trinh-Duc, 22 Damien Traille.

New Zealand: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Richard Kahui, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Brad Thorn, 4 Samuel Whitelock, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Ali Williams, 19 Adam Thomson, 20 Andy Ellis, 21 Stephen Donald, 22 Sonny Bill Williams.

Referee: Craig Joubert

By Adam Kyriacou at Eden Park

Lewis Moody has announced his retirement from international rugby following England's disappointing Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

The 33-year-old has, according to his column in The Mail on Sunday, called time on his England career after 71 Tests for the Red Rose outfit.

"I realised I might be making this decision before the World Cup started," he told the newspaper.

"It's a big decision to make and I feel emotional about making it, but it's the right thing to do for me and for the England rugby squad.

"My time with England has been unbelievable, even if the last few weeks have not gone so well."

Former Heineken Cup and World Cup winner Moody admitted that England's below-par World Cup effort should be the prompt for changes both at skipper and among the wider playing personnel.

"It's only right for the team to move on," he said.

"There will be changes, maybe in management and definitely in some of the matchday 22, and if England want to start planning for a successful World Cup here in four years' time, then it is my belief that they should be appointing a new captain from February to see the team right the way through to 2015.

"Even if they still wanted me to carry on, there's no way I'd last another four years, so it is absolutely right to stand down and give someone else the opportunity to captain England."

Shaun Edwards has hinted that his time with Wasps and Wales may be running out, opening the door to a possible coaching job with England.

Defence coach Edwards has been instrumental at Adams Park and in Cardiff over the years but has given the clearest indication yet that he may be in line for a new venture following the Dragons' semi-final exit from the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

"There is a pretty good chance I will be unconnected, both at club and international level, when I get back. Maybe it is time for me to go on to other challenges," he told BBC Sport.

Asked whether that would lead to him calling time on his successful stint at Wasps, Edwards gave another hint that he may be leaving the club.

"Potentially, maybe in the future. I will make a statement when it all comes out properly," continued the former rugby league star.

That last sentence has added further weight to claims Edwards may switch allegience from Wales to England, with Mike Ford currently in charge of the Red Rose's defence.

Few would have backed Wales to make it to the World Cup semi-finals and the players believe they've served notice that the team are a forced to be reckoned with.

Grouped in the same pool as South Africa, Samoa and Fiji, the Welsh faced a stiff test just to make it into the quarter-finals let alone any further.

Having negotiated their way out of the pool stages, a superb performance against Ireland put them into the final four.

However, playing their semi-final against France with one man down for nearly 60 minutes, Warren Gatland's men just couldn't do enough to secure a final berth.

Again they suffered a close defeat in the bronze medal match, losing 21-18 to Australia.

Despite this, fourth is a more than creditable finish and loose forward Ryan Jones believes the showing has put Wales "back on the rugby map".

"We thought we could beat Australia and do something special," said the former skipper.

"We really wanted to finish with a medal.

"We hoped to leave with the third-place medal, but it has been a good tournament and we put Wales back on the rugby map.

"We came here with (some) players who we didn't know if they could play at this level, but we can be proud of what we have done.

"Some guys have played the best rugby of their careers, and we have to build on that.

"We play Australia at the Millennium Stadium in December, and then there is the Six Nations, so there are chances for us to build on this."

Centre Jamie Roberts, one of the stars of the tournament, believes that Wales' success at the tournament will spur them on to bigger things but that first they need to cut out the silly errors that hindered their performances against France and Australia.

"We will go away with a feeling we can compete with the best in world rugby," the Cardiff man told the BBC.

"That is a mindset to take into the match against Australia in December, the forthcoming Six Nations, the tour to Australia next summer and the next couple of years.

"If we get things right we will put teams like this [Australia] away.

"We made too many simple errors and, at this level, errors like that will lose you games. There are no excuses.

"We haven't beaten a southern hemisphere team down here, so that is the disappointing thing. Our next opportunity to do that comes next summer.

"To go from the elation of that Ireland [quarter-final] victory to events of the last two weeks has been emotionally very tough but that is the fine line at this level.

"We need to take it on the chin and move forward."

Full-back Leigh Halfpenny echoed his team-mate's sentiments.

"The future does look promising with a lot of excellent players coming through. It is proof the academy system we have got in Wales is working," he said.

"A number of the youngsters have really grown up on this tour and during the four months we have been together. They have been a joy to be with - they have brought this team together.

"I think Welsh rugby is in a good place, and we are going home to a proud nation.

"The same amount of hard work has got to go in again for the Six Nations.

"It is important the boys go away from here and keep up the hard work, so when we come together for the Six Nations we are all ready to go."

One area where Halfpenny will certainly be looking to improve on is his goalkicking, having missed crucial kicks in both the semi-final and the bronze medal match.

"International rugby is about taking every point you can get and making your goal-kicks," said the 22-year-old.

"I am massively disappointed to have missed two kicks I should have nailed in two important games. I know I should have kicked them, and I'm hugely annoyed with myself.

"As a kicker, you can't complain about the ball - it is the same for every kicker at the World Cup. It's about the individual, and I have only got myself to blame.

"I just didn't execute those penalties to the best of my ability. Every time you make an attempt, you have got to execute.

"Goalkicking is a big part of my game. The ones I've missed I kick consistently in training, so it has been massively frustrating for me I have not done it in matches."

France skipper Thierry Dusautoir is not a man of many words but he - and his men - know he'll have plenty to offer come Sunday's RWC final.

Dusautoir is well aware of the stiff test that his men face when they come up against the All Blacks at Eden Park, with both teams just 80 minutes away from rugby's greatest prize.

The French dressing room is sure to be a tense place ahead of the clash and the quiet Dusautoir will need to keep his troops focussed.

"I think the words will spill out on their own when I speak to the players. The desire is there, the anticipation is there," said the loose forward.

"Of course we are feeling a little nervous but this is a World Cup final. The pressure has been increasing little by little but we are making the most of the week."

A nominee for this year's IRB Player of the Year award, Dusautoir's team-mates lead the chorus of praise for the 29-year-old.

"He's not a big talker," explained fellow back rower Imanol Harinordoquy.

"He leads by example, he's someone we all follow out on the field."

"Once again Thierry has been a great presence for all the players," added winger Vincent Clerc.

"He's been exceptional off the field. He's said things to the players which will help our performance this weekend."

France are huge underdogs heading into Sunday's final and Dusautoir admits they have not had it all their own way during the World Cup but that anything can happen in 80 minutes.

"We didn't choose the easiest path to get here but we are here now and intend to make the most of it," he admitted.

"Nobody believes we can win this match but we will do all we can do.

"Of course I am proud. I am proud of the team and the whole path we have taken. After Tonga the attention on me was very different, but we have qualified for the final and we must now do our best."

France prop Nicolas Mas knows that his side have to be dominant upfront if they are to tame the All Blacks in Sunday's RWC final.

The Kiwi backs may be the ones who get the majority of the glory, with a potent back-line crossing the whitewash with ease thus far in the World Cup.

However, the front foot ball which allows them to weave their magic comes as a result of a lot of hard work from the forwards.

With this in mind, Mas knows that if France are to halt the All Black charge they need to win the forward battle, starting at scrum time.

"New Zealand have great impact at the scrum and you have to meet them," said Mas.

"We need to be able to meet them in the scrum if we are going to be able to play. We have the whole match to do this.

"As usual in their plays, it is the players managing to set up the ball and the players doing their job, and we have noticed since the beginning of the competition that the All Blacks produce great performances up front.

"Their performance in the forwards set up the semi-final win against Australia."

The All Blacks gave the French a torrid time in the scrums when they beat Marc Lièvremont's side 37-17 during pool play and Mas is out to ensure this doesn't happen again.

"They have a strong scrum - they put a lot of time and effort into it," he said.

"They are used to coming in strong and coming in fast. The difficulty in playing against them is meeting their speed.

"They do not give you much time to move them, and then they free the ball up very quickly.

"Two teams want to win, and they will do everything in their power to win - that is the aggression and the passion. There will be a huge amount of passion involved."

All Black scrum-half Piri Weepu admits that his side are most likely to perform to their potential during Sunday's RWC if they're relaxed.

Having enojyed an unbeaten run to the final and with the odds heavily stacked in their favour, the Kiwis are in a great position to claim their first World Cup win since 1987.

However, they are also under enormous pressure to claim the trophy while their opponents, France, have nothing to lose having been largely written off already.

Weepu believes that the All Blacks need to remain calm in this pressurised atmosphere.

"You try to get your preparation right through the week, so when you come to match day you can go out there with a clear head and just play your game," said Weepu.

"I think with occasions like this one, the more relaxed you stay, the less pressure you put on yourselves.

"I am pretty sure the boys get excited by moments like this.

"As a little kid in the backyard you dream of playing for your country and scoring the winning try or taking the winning kick. Moments like these are moments you don't want to forget.

"Everyone can't wait to wake up on game day and feel the buzz that is in the air and excitement around town.

"You can feel the energy. You go down to breakfast and look on the faces of the boys and you can see the excitement on their faces."

While many haven't given France any chance of winning their first World Cup, Weepu knows better than to underestimate Marc Lièvremont's men, especially considering that Les Bleus sent the All Blacks packing in 1999 and 2007.

"You have to expect the unexpected with them," said the scrum-half.

"On their day they can play the best rugby of their lives, and this is the opportunity for them to do that.

"They can be quite dangerous, so we are definitely not taking them too lightly and we know it is going to be a pretty physical encounter."

Richie McCaw is urging his All Blacks not to waste the opportunity of their 2011 World Cup Final against France.

McCaw and his team are just one game away from lifting the Webb Ellis trophy after overcoming Argentina and Australia in the knockout stages.

And with les Bleus now the only nation standing their path of ending their drought of 24 years, the flank said it was now about 22 men doing a job.

"It's not about personal stuff, it's about this team having an opportunity and not wasting it. Going out and performing, playing the best game we've ever played in a World Cup final. That's the opportunity that's there and from our point of view we don't want to let that slip by," said the captain.

"The opportunity to go out on the biggest stage and play for your country against a team like the French. That's an opportunity that you play the game for. I haven't thought about what it would be like. I just want to get out there and show that this team and myself can play."

It would be the ultimate achievement for McCaw should he get his hands on the trophy in Auckland, despite what the All Blacks have achieved in global rugby over the years.

"You'd like to think the things you've done through ten years, regardless of what happens tomorrow, mean something," he said in response to whether 'this is it'.

"But this is the biggest game that I've played in and it's one you want to do well in. If you're going to pick a game before you start playing any rugby what one would you want to play in? It would be a World Cup final."

On how he thinks he has developed as a captain in the past four years since their shock RWC 2007 exit, McCaw explained how what he has in the mental bank might help him.

"I think you back yourself a little bit, you know. I'd only done it for a couple of years back in 2007 for example. Being captain, just because you're given that responsibility, just because you can play the game doesn't mean you're going to be any good at it. You're going to learn a fair few lessons along the way," he continued.

"Being captain of the All Blacks, it's a huge honour for starters, but there's a lot of responsibility that comes with it. The expectation is that you set the standards that have been forged over a long period of time and I guess I've got to, along with the coaches, drive that and you've still got to go out and be a top player.

"I look at it as a huge privilege, a huge honour every time you take the field. But you better go do the job and I guess having the right men around you to drive those standards and that attitude is the key.

"I won't be around forever but hopefully when I leave one day people will say that all the history has gone before, all the legacies that have been set have been upheld if not raised."

And has he ever touched the Webb Ellis Cup?

"No. I don't think you should touch it till you've earned it," said McCaw.

By Adam Kyriacou in Auckland

Joe Ansbro believes that Scotland will learn from the mistakes of their failed World Cup and are already eyeing up their Six Nations clash with England.

Narrow defeats to Argentina and England cost them a chance to progress to the last-eight, the first time they had failed to reach the knockouts.

But despite their early exit in New Zealand, 25-year-old outside centre Ansbro is confident the Scots will emerge stronger from the experience.

"We went in knowing that we were capable of winning all of our group games to put us in a strong position for the quarter-finals but obviously that didn't happen. It's a major disappointment," said the Glasgow-born back, who turned out for Lancashire during his days at Stonyhurst College.

"We came close but not quite close enough and the frustrating thing is we now have to go our separate ways and wait a few months to re-build."

Their Pool B defeat against England after a late Chris Ashton score at Eden Park was a bitter pill to swallow for Ansbro and Scotland after leading 12-3 early in the second-half.

"We left ourselves a lot to do (Scotland needed to beat England by eight points to make the last-eight) and while we were comfortable enough during the game we knew we had to keep pushing for points and credit to England they took their chance at the end," he added.

Ansbro, who became the first black player to represent Scotland when he made his debut against South Africa last year, suggested that a lack of composure had ultimately cost them.

"We played some good rugby throughout the tournament but didn't quite have that finishing touch you need at international level. In the England match we had a few chances but didn't put them away. We need to improve in closing games out - to keep our performances together for the full 80 minutes," he said.

With former England coach Andy Robinson having signed up to lead Scotland into the next Rugby World Cup, on English soil in 2015, their supporters do have cause to be optimistic according to Ansbro, who plays his club rugby for Aviva Premiership side London Irish.

"There's plenty of talent in the squad, we enjoy working with the coaches and we all want the same thing - to show our fans what we're capable of," he added.

"We beat South Africa last year, when they were world champions, which showed what we can do. But we have now had a disappointing World Cup and have to wait for the Six Nations to show what we can achieve and get back winning."

And an opening Six Nations fixture at Murrayfield on February 4 against the auld enemy England will give Scotland the ideal opportunity to ease their 2011 World Cup hangover.

"If we could have brought that opening fixture to the Sunday after (their loss to England in the RWC) we would have been happy because there are so many lessons we have learned from that game. Hopefully that can be the start of a winning run for us," he concluded.

By James Illingworth

Australia scrum-half Will Genia is of the opinion that team-mate Quade Cooper will be better for his turbulent time at the World Cup in New Zealand.

Cooper has been the subject of some unfortunate booing throughout the tournament which arguably affected his showings at the global showpiece.

However the mercuruial ten did receive a round of applause when he hobbled away from the action against Wales in Friday's Bronze Medal match.

"It's obviously a change from all the booing," said Genia after Australia claimed third place with a 21-18 win over Wales at Eden Park.

Genia believes that 23-year-old Cooper will return a stronger player after a tournament marked by uninspired performances and his bad press.

"In terms of his character, he showed a lot," said Genia.

"He showed a lot of guts and a lot of character. He'll be much better for it. Obviously the way he finished with that injury is disappointing, but he'll come away a better person."

Genia, who also struggled for form in New Zealand, admitted third place was still somewhat disappointing for Australia, particularly as they came into the Cup as Tri-Nations winners.

"Obviously we came here with the ambition to win and I guess in that sense we failed," he concluded.

By Adam Kyriacou in Auckland

France defence coach Dave Ellis says he knows the secrets to unlocking one of the most impregnable defences.

In a bold claim, Ellis says he has discovered weaknesses in the rearguard structure that his team are now primed to exploit in the RWC Final.

"The All Blacks have different defensive systems and there are more weaknesses than we found in the Welsh system and also in the Australian system," said Ellis, who has been scrutinising videotapes of their opponents this past week.

"We feel there are certain areas of their defence we can exploit.

"There are things that we found out and we are quite capable of exploiting those weaknesses."

The Englishman, who has been working with France since 2000, refused to expand on the nature of those weaknesses but said they have been present throughout the tournament. The Wallabies failed to score a try against New Zealand in their semi-final loss but Ellis believes that was due to poor decision-making rather than an impenetrable All Blacks defence.

"I watched the game and I was expecting Australia to score and turn the game around," he said.

"I think a lot of the choices they made on their attack were in the wrong areas of the field and they didn't disturb the All Black defence in a manner they should have done.

"I was waiting for the moment where they would break the defence. They did not do it, mainly because of their poor choices."

Aside from exploiting chinks in the All Blacks' defensive armour, Ellis was clear on what is required from les Bleus if they are to reverse the 37-17 defeat they suffered at the hands of New Zealand during the pool stage.

During that match France put the Kiwis under early pressure but failed to maintain their intensity and were soon overrun by a rampant All Blacks attack that notched up five tries.

"We have to make sure we put the wall up and stop them from getting through," said Ellis, whose background is in rugby league.

"We also need to be going forward and put the half-backs under pressure, not only with our attack but with our defence.

"We have to make them stall and if we do that, then we can add pressure from both sides, from attack and defence."

The All Blacks might be tempted to laugh off Ellis's claims of defensive weakness, given they have leaked only seven tries in their six matches at the tournament, but his credentials give weight to his claims.

During his eleven years in the job he has orchestrated three surprise French victories over New Zealand, including the remarkable result in the quarter-finals of RWC 2007.

Ellis believes if his team put the All Blacks under enough pressure on Sunday the Kiwis will sense a little bit of history repeating and panic.

"There are occasions in major sporting events, particularly when certain teams are involved, there is always something in the back of their mind: deja vu," he said.

All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu said the team is motivated to win Sunday's Rugby World Cup final against France for their coach Graham Henry.

Mealamu, who will equal Sean Fitzpatrick's record of 92 Test appearances as New Zealand's most-capped hooker, acknowledged Henry's role in the team's successful run to the final.

He said the coach, who will step down after the final, has made a big impression on his players.

"He has been a very special man on and off the field," explained Mealamu.

"I've learnt a lot off him as a player, and he is quite a genuine man off the field as well.

"He really cares about the boys, so I know the boys will be wanting to put on a good performance for him this weekend," he added.

Although the All Blacks are overwhelming favourites to win the title for the first time since the inaugural tournament in 1987, Mealamu is expecting a tough battle against France.

"I don't think they are under-rated," he said.

"We haven't under-rated them. We know the challenge we have ahead of us.

"I know a lot of people have written them off, but we know how good they are. You just have to look at history to see how good they are.

"We will prepare well and make sure we are ready for the French because we know from history that we've failed against them."

France utility back Damien Traille admits to being stunned when he was announced as a replacement Sunday's RWC final against New Zealand.

Traille's World Cup appeared to be over when he was dropped for three matches following the 37-17 pool stage loss to the All Blacks, but coach Marc Lièvremont surprisingly recalled him Friday among the replacements to face the All Blacks.

"It was a big surprise to me when they named the replacements ... I even thought it was an error when they read my name out," said Traille.

"I didn't hold out much hope of being in the squad, especially since Marc had made it clear after the quarter-final that he was looking for stability," he added.

But Traille's ability to play in several roles, his vast experience, and his defensive kicking have worked in his favour for the final.

The 32-year-old Traille has scored 15 tries in 85 tests for France, and also played in the 2007 quarter-final win over the All Blacks, when his excellent kicking in general play from full-back helped take the pressure off the defence.

"It was pure selection, Damien is a big game player. He had an outstanding game that day in 2007," said defence coach David Ellis.

"We've got a few left-footers in the team. Damien is a right-footer, so he gives the extra option, but he could also use him at number 10, in at center or at full-back, so there's various different options."

Lièvremont waited until Friday to name his reserves bench, three days after confirming the same starting XV he has used throughout the knockout stage.

Traille takes the place of full-back Cedric Heymans, who drops out of the 22-man match squad.

There appeared little chance Traille would return after he was publicly critical of Lièvremont's decision to take him off at half-time during the defeat to the All Blacks.

"There was a lot of debate about what I had said, that I didn't get any explanation from Marc. I got one afterward, so things were clear between us," said Traille.

"Then, after that, it was a question of sporting choice. So I had nothing to say about it. But I showed a lot of commitment in training every week and wanted to show I deserved a place, even though the squad (seemed to be) set in place until the end. Now I've got my reward."

Traille admits the solitude did get to him, and the other players who have found themselves shut out.

"I went through a lot of (emotions). Disappointment after coming off at half-time against the All Blacks, and staying in the stands for so long," he said.

"We drank a few (beers) to forget ... I'm disappointed for those who are not in the squad, I know how it feels. It's very hard to watch from the stands, but we've said since the beginning that we all have to stick together."

Traille is desperate to be involved at some stage in the final, although he admits he is a bit rusty.

"Of course I want to come on. It's difficult being a reserve, you never know when you're going to come on," he said.

"Nothing replaces games, you can be as fit as you want, that doesn't make up for it."

New Zealand are on the brink of repeating their 1987 feat by beating France in a World Cup final.

However, the All Blacks remain wary of their inconsistent opponents finding their form at Eden Park this weekend.

New Zealand were eliminated from the 1999 and 2007 World Cups by French sides not fancied to topple the then-favourites, and New Zealand coach Graham Henry has vowed that there would be no complacency this time around

"This French team, we're not sure who's going to turn up, quite frankly," Henry said in reference to France's patchy form after they were beaten twice in the pool stage, by the All Blacks and Tonga.

"So we've got to prepare that they're going to be the best in the world. They've certainly got the individuals to do that, it's just whether they can produce that as a side.

"All the word is that they've prepared well and they're very focused and they're enjoying the underdog tag.

"They feel that they're not being considered in this final by a lot of people. We don't think that. We think they're a very good rugby team."

Henry has named an unchanged team from the one that comprehensively beat Australia 20-6 in the semi-final, with the only change in the matchday 22 seeing Adam Thomson come in for Victor Vito on the replacements' bench.

France coach Marc Lievremont, whose authority was undermined when it was announced in August that Philippe Saint-Andre would take over as coach at the end of the World Cup, has had to battle to get his team to the Final.

After overcoming the two pool losses, France qualified for knockout rugby on the back of two victories over Japan and Canada, and a losing bonus point against the Tongans.

Public criticism of his players for their on-field failings matched Lievremont's equally outspoken condemnation of certain squad members for their off-field partying after their difficult 9-8 victory over 14-man Wales in the semi-final.

Sandwiched in between was an impressive quarter-final victory over Six Nations rivals England, in which the French clicked and built up a 16-0 lead at half-time that might just have sent more than a few shudders down New Zealand spines.

"We are feeling how much of a challenge this will be," France forwards coach Didier Retiere admitted.

"We saw the match against Australia and we know they (New Zealand) will be strong in their scrummaging and it will be a great challenge.

"I don't think we have put our best foot forward and we hope to do that this weekend. But we also know what to expect. We know it will be a huge match."

"We must remain aggressive," he added.

"That is really the size of the challenge we are facing. We need to put in our best performance and it is an issue of working together as a team in different areas.

"That is our objective. It is difficult to work at 100 per cent in all sectors."

All Blacks centre Ma'a Nonu insisted, however, that tags of favourites or underdogs would count for little come Sunday.

"History tells about the French side that's played the All Blacks in the last 24 years, so it's whoever turns up on the night," Nonu said.

"They've been slammed, been under-rated and that's when the French play their best rugby, when their backs are against the wall.

However, Nonu added: "I think this is probably our best chance (to win the World Cup) and we want to take it."

At the start of the tournament it would have been an All Blacks fan's worst nightmare: Facing their bogey team France in the final... without Dan Carter.

The best cure for nightmares is a bedtime story. So gather around, if you will, and I'll tell you The Tale of Marc le Moustache and the Shiny Gold Cup.

Once upon a time, in a land under Down Under (some called it Mordor) there was a game, a beautiful game. And it came to pass that the nations of the world travelled to this fabled land of long white clouds (though they were mostly grey) to play this most beautiful game for a prize, the most precious of precious gold cups.

One day the leader of Les Bleus rubbed the cup, and to his amazement, a genie appeared. (We don't know his name but he was very small, very fast and very difficult to catch, so we'll call him Vincent). The genie said he would grant his new friend Marc three wishes as thanks for letting him out of the cramped space inside the cup (as soon as he got over his jet lag, of course).

"Fantastique!" said Marc and made his first wish. "I wish that all the powerful nations from the South end up on the other side of the draw." And so it came to pass that the Wallabies lost to the men in green and the Springboks edged past the fire-breathing Dragons.

"Formidable!" said Marc and made his second wish. "I wish that we will finish second in our group and qualify for the quarter-finals, no matter what." And so it came to pass that Canada beat Tonga so that even a catastrophe in their last game didn't send Marc and his not-so-merry men home.

Fabuleux! said Marc. "Don't worry genie, we'll sort this next one out ourselves. We can always find something special to beat les Anglais." And so it came to pass that France finally played a solid 40 minutes of rugby, enough to eliminate their old rivals.

Phénoménal! said Marc. "We might need a bit of help to get to the final though Mr. Genie, those Dragons sure are breathing a lot of fire." And so it came to pass that the genie placed a magic red card in the referee's pocket. Lo and behold, Les Bleus were in the final!

"Well that's it for your three wishes, mon ami" said the genie. "You're on your own now. Good luck against the All Blacks!"

The end.

Or is it?

It doesn't take a huge stretch of the imagination to see that France got a little lucky to make it this far. Marc Lièvremont summed it up best when he said France had a "guardian angel" on their side after surviving their semi-final.

Indeed, All Blacks' fans that were dreading a meeting with their old nemesis are resting much easier having seen le XV de France stumble their way back to Eden Park, the scene of the 1987 World Cup final between the two nations.

As everyone who knows a maul from a mall will tell you, the All Blacks will be overwhelming favourites on Sunday having swept the French aside with seeming ease in their pool match almost exactly a month ago.

But before the Kiwis start counting their chickens, or their World Cups, it's worth reiterating that luck alone will not get you to a RWC Final, and this French side does not lack for talent.

In case you needed reminding, or you missed the preview for the pool game, les tricolores are the only team, apart from South Africa, to have beaten the All Blacks in New Zealand in the last eight years - claiming victory in Dunedin two years ago. They are also the last Test side to beat the hosts at Eden Park, back in 1994. France's knack of upsetting the All Blacks in World Cups is so well-documented that there is no need to rehash it here.

On paper, France have the resources to create the upset that no one dares predict. A quick glance at their six games at this tournament leaves nothing to suggest that they can win on Sunday, but a closer look at the context of each of those results prompts one to think again. Armchair experts the world over will tell that any game involving the French depends on "whether they turn up or not." It's all about their mindset.

France have come up with the goods every time they needed to: They were pretty unimpressive for an hour against Japan and Canada, but as soon as the pressure was on to get a bonus point, the tries came flooding in. They didn't need to win against New Zealand nor against Tonga. They were dismal for 75 minutes against the Islanders until they realised they needed a try to save a losing bonus point...and it wasn't long in coming. England were dominated until half-time so there wasn't much motivation to build on a 16-0 lead.

We'll never know what would have happened had Stephen Jones slotted his conversion to put the 14-man Welsh ahead in that fateful semi-final, but I'm convinced France would have been able to step it up a gear if they needed to switch their mindset from conservation to attack.

Lièvremont knows all too well that there is nothing worse than a poorly-focused team having tasted defeat as a player in 1999 final. His squad don't seem to be listening to him much these days, but his personal experience will add real legitimacy to his pre-game speeches.

Surely motivation won't be problem on Sunday. But even then, will it be enough? That depends entirely on New Zealand's ability to cope with pressure.

If the All Blacks play to their full potential, the result is a foregone conclusion. The hosts are that good and they showed as much last week. Aaron Cruden's performance against Australia put any doubts about his capacity to deal with the big occasion to bed. New Zealand have no real weaknesses - if they score first, it'll be all over.

But if France's formidable pack and rock-solid set-piece can keep their team in the game for 30 minutes, just long enough to plant a seed of doubt in the Kiwis' minds, then the weight of expectation on the hosts' shoulders could produce the cracks that have been invisible over the last six weeks.

Throw in a moment of inspired magic from the likes of Vincent Clerc or Maxime Médard....and a dream could turn into a nightmare.

Or does that sound too much like a fairy tale?

Previous results:

2011: New Zealand won 37-17 in Auckland
2009: New Zealand won 39-12 in Marseille
2009: New Zealand won 14-10 in Wellington
2009: France won 27-22 in Dunedin
2007: France won 20-18 in Cardiff
2007: New Zealand won 61-10 in Wellington
2007: New Zealand won 42-11 in Auckland
2006:New Zealand won 23-11 in Paris
2006: New Zealand won 47-3 in Lyon
2004: New Zealand won 45-6 in Paris
2003: New Zealand won 40-13 in Sydney
2003: New Zealand won 31-23 in Christchurch
2002: France and New Zealand drew 20- 20 in Paris
2001: New Zealand won 37-12 in Wellington
2000: France won 42-33 in Marseilles
2000: New Zealand won 39-26 in Paris
1999: France won 43- 31 4 in London

Prediction: You'd have to be very brave - or French - to bet against the hosts. The All Blacks have been the best team in this tournament and deserve their fairy tale ending. In their last four games against France, New Zealand have score 13 tries...We can see this clash going only one way. New Zealand by 20.

The teams:

France: 15 Maxime Médard, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Aurélien Rougerie, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Alexis Palisson, 10 Morgan Parra, 9 Dimitri Yachvili, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Julien Bonnaire, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Pascal Papé, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Jean-Baptiste Poux.
Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Fabien Barcella, 18 Julien Pierre, 19 Fulgence Ouedraogo, 20 Jean-Marc Doussain, 21 François Trinh-Duc, 22 Damien Traille.

New Zealand: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Richard Kahui, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Brad Thorn, 4 Samuel Whitelock, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Ali Williams, 19 Adam Thomson, 20 Andy Ellis, 21 Stephen Donald, 22 Sonny Bill Williams.

Date: Sunday, October 23
Kick-off: 21.00 ( 08.00 GMT / 09.00 BST / 10.00 SAST - CEST)
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Weather: 16°C. Clear with cloudy periods with a slight chance of showers.
Referee: Craig Joubert
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Nigel Owens (Wales)
TMO: Guilio de Santis (Italy)

By Ross Hastie

Wales head coach Warren Gatland sighted goal-kicking as their Achilles heel at the World Cup after his side bowed out in fourth spot on Friday.

James Hook was off-colour from the tee at Eden Park against Australia as Wales fell to a 21-18 loss that ultimately saw the Wallabies take third.

However the fly-half was not on his own in missing key attempts at goal during recent weeks in New Zealand as full-back Leigh Halfpenny was also off-target once again in Auckland, albeit from distance.

"Probably what I am most upset with is (kicking coach) Neil Jenkins and at this level you have to take the opportunities and unfortunately our goal-kicking has let us down," said Gatland.

"Look at the past games and those (kickers) were usually in the 80s (percentage success rate) and have been reliable goal kickers. But for whatever reason, they missed a couple of critical ones. That is probably what cost us.

"It is something we have to look at. It was one of our strengths coming into this tournament but it failed on some critical moments and critical goals and it proved costly."

Wales came into the game with an emotional hangover from their painful semi-final defeat to France and Gatland believed that was evident in their performance on Friday.

"We were not as quite emotionally up for it as we has been for other games and I think that showed," he added.

"Our performance was probably a little bit down than what we are capable of. But in saying that, they are one of the top sides in the world and they are one of the best defensive teams in the competition. We are disappointed but we have to take a lot of positives from the way we've progressed as a team."

Like the Wallabies, Wales have one of the youngest teams in the 2011 competition and that has given the whole nation plenty of hope, not least Gatland.

"They would have learned a massive amount from this tournament, from seven Test matches in seven weeks. They have been through a lot and they will be stronger for those experiences," the coach continued.

"I thought it showed how much today we missed Adam Jones. Sam Warburton was a big loss and probably the player who has developed the most was Rhys Priestland. I think he deserves the credit for how much he has developed as a 10. His vision and calmness made his centres look good and he is a player for the future.

"But we are disappointed for tonight and there are no excuses."

By Adam Kyriacou at Eden Park

Australia coach Robbie Deans fears that fly-half Quade Cooper suffered a suspected ACL rupture during their Bronze Medal match against Wales.

Cooper twisted awkwardly while stepping during the first-half of their 21-18 victory over Wales, which was a morale-booster after last week.

But they were left to count their wounded following the match, with Cooper and full-back Kurtley Beale two notable casualties at Eden Park.

"Quade was OK, he is aware it is a significant injury but with technology these days he will come back good to go," said Deans after the victory.

"You actually end up with a stronger ACL post operation than before these days so he will be back playing Super Rugby. Obviously that whole experience [at the World Cup on New Zealand soil] and adversity will challenge him. But I've got no doubt he will come out of that stronger for it.

"Kurtley had a recurrence of his hamstring strain. A strain on a strain is not ideal."

Once again the wounded Wallabies put in a strong defensive performance and Deans said that despite it being branded by some as a 'nothing game', it still mattered.

"It was a three v four play-off that neither side wanted to be in but both took the contest with a lot of pride and that was evident in the way both sides defended. It was pretty tiring with a high attrition rate but the boys showed what it meant by the way they stuck at it," he said.

"That is the nature of the World Cup, it is the ultimate event and there is a lot of pride in that. Players are committed and tonight was no different and I suspect Sunday will be the same."

Australia enjoyed the home dressing room at Eden Park after winning the toss for the privilege and while Deans joked that was a key part of claiming a win, his subsequent statement in the press conference may not go down too well across the Tasman.

"It must have been," he said when asked whether it helped them succeed.

"We had the opportunity to be there last week but we gave it up to the All Blacks."

By Adam Kyriacou at Eden Park

Australia ended their World Cup campaign in third place after getting the better of Wales 21-18 in Friday's battle for bronze at Eden Park.

Both sides crossed the whitewash twice, with Wales bagging a consolation second try on full-time to end the match - but not the tournament - on a high note.

The two teams held nothing back, and went at it hammer and tongs from the kick-off in what was a fast and furious third place play-off encounter that left bodies battered and bruised.

Australia's casualty list was the longer of the two teams - losing playmakers Kurtley Beale and Quade Cooper early on to injuries.

It was a double blow for the Wallabies, who had to change tack somewhat after being forced into a backline reshuffle with Berrick Barnes at pivot, Anthony Faingaa and Robert Horne forming the new midfield partnership and Adam Ashley-Cooper shifted to full-back.

It didn't disrupt Australia's momentum though, with Barnes showing some deft touches and superb vision in Cooper's absence while James O'Connor caused Wales all sorts of trouble out wide with ball in hand as well as from the kicking tee.

Barnes and O'Connor combined to contribute all but five of their side's points - Barnes picking up a try and a drop-goal, while O'Connor slotted two penalties and a conversion.

The same couldn't be said of the Welsh kickers, whose three missed kicks - four if you include a drop-goal - would come back and haunt them - just as it did against France in last weekend's semi-final. Like catches win matches in cricket, so do goal-kicks in rugby.

Leading 7-3 at half-time, the Wallabies relinquished their lead only once in the match when Wales wing Shane Williams went over for a sensational solo try eight minutes after the break. But with the touchline conversion missed, O'Connor put his team back in front with two quick-fire penalties and the Wallabies never looked back.

There was little separating the two teams when the match got underway in front of a capacity crowd in Auckland.

Both sides showed their intentions to run the ball at every opportunity that came their way, which paved the way for a free-flowing spectacle - stopped only for the wounded.

Before Beale and Cooper hobbled off the field, the latter was able to put Barnes over from close range after a delayed pass caught the Welsh off-guard. O'Connor landed the simple conversion, and Australia led by seven points after twelve minutes played.

The Wallabies came close to bagging try number two, only for Ashley-Cooper to spill the ball forward with the tryline begging.

Prop James Slipper was then penalised in the scrum which allowed James Hook to kick the opening points for his team, but then badly missed a straight-forward penalty attempt five minutes after the restart.

O'Connor should have restored Australia's advantage but his penalty effort rebounded back off the posts.

Wales were then off-target with another three-pointer as Leigh Halfpenny's long-range attempt sailed wide, leaving Australia to head into the interval with a four-point lead.

Wales had a chance to cut the deficit to just a point a few minutes into the second half, but once again Hook missed a regulation penalty attempt.

However, Wales gave their red-clad fans hope when they finally took their chance after a stab kick ahead and regather by Hook saw the ball flung wide to Williams who showed his footballing skills to score. The initial pass out wide looked forward but Williams hacked on and won the foot-race to the ball.

Australia replied with two O'Connor penalties in the 54th and 57th minutes respectively to open up a five-point lead, however Wales were let off the hook when his next attempt hit the posts. Barnes, though, gave the Wallabies some breathing space as he slotted over a cheeky drop-goal.

With Hook off and Stephen Jones on, the veteran set up a nail-biting finale with his 70th-minute penalty to take the scores to 11-16 and Wales requiring a converted try to win the match.

Australia should have sealed the deal through Ashley-Cooper with six minutes left on the clock, but a try-saving tackle by Wales wing George North kept his team's chances alive as the ball spilled from the full-back's grasp.

However, the Wallabies launched another raid and weren't to be denied a second time after number eight Ben McCalman made no mistake two minutes later as he took Saia Fainga'a's offload to score in the corner for the match-winner.

O'Connor missed the conversion from far out, but it mattered not as Wales trailed by 10 points with two minutes left.

Wales never gave up though, and were rewarded for their never-say-die attitude after Halfpenny dived over 28 phases later to finish the game on a positive note.

It was Australia's first win at Eden Park since 1986, but not against their Bledisloe Cup rivals New Zealand, who take on France at their fortress in Sunday's final.

This victory meant two-time champions Australia won their first bronze at the World Cup after losing 22-21 to Wales in the play-off for third place at the inaugural 1987 tournament in New Zealand.

Man of the match: For Wales, number eight Ryan Jones was simply superb, whilst James O'Connor was a threat throughout for the Wallabies. But Berrick Barnes delivered a masterly performance after moving from inside centre to fly-half and is deservedly our man of the match.

Moment of the match: It may have been a forward pass that allowed Wales to hit the front, but we're going with that fortuitous try to wing Shane Williams.

Villain of the match: Hmmm... Australia hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau can consider himself lucky for escaping any punishment for his late shoulder charge on Shane Williams that saw the Welsh Wizard go flying behind the touchline.

The scorers:

For Australia:
Tries: Barnes, McCalman
Con: O'Connor
Pens: O'Connor 2
Drop: Barnes

For Wales:
Tries: S Williams, Halfpenny
Pens: Hook, S Jones
Cons: S Jones

Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Shane Williams, 10 James Hook, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Ryan Jones, 7 Toby Faletau, 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Luke Charteris, 4 Bradley Davies, 3 Paul James, 2 Huw Bennett, 1 Gethin Jenkins (c).
Replacements: 16 Lloyd Burns, 17 Ryan Bevington, 18 Alun Wyn Jones, 19 Andy Powell, 20 Lloyd Williams, 21 Stephen Jones, 22 Scott Williams.

Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 James O'Connor, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 David Pocock, 6 Scott Higginbotham, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 James Horwill (c), 3 Salesi Ma'afu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 Ben Alexander, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Radike Samo, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Anthony Faingaa, 22 Robert Horne.

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

Graham Henry knows his successful career as All Blacks coach could boil down to just one match - Sunday's Rugby World Cup final.

New Zealand are overwhelming favourites to beat France at Auckland's Eden Park this weekend and end 24 years of misery for the rugby-mad nation by adding a second world title to their home success way back in 1987.

The intervening years have been torturous ones for the All Blacks: defeat in the 1995 final, semi-final losses in 1999 and 2003 and the shattering quarter-final exit to France on Henry's watch at the last tournament four years ago.

Henry feared he would not be back as coach in the upheaval that followed, fully expecting Kiwi rival Robbie Deans to get the job.

Yet he was given another chance and he is just days away from full vindication.

Former headmaster Henry celebrated 100 Tests as All Blacks coach during this World Cup and in 102 Tests has the remarkable success rate of 85 per cent with 87 wins and just 15 losses.

Henry may not have the best record of any All Blacks coach - four including Fred 'The Needle' Allen, who presided over 14 wins from 14 Tests from 1966 to 1968, and Alex Wyllie had an 86.2 per cent record from 29 Tests.

None though have overseen so many games and through the sheer weight of success with the world number one All Blacks in the demanding professional era, Henry has already made a significant mark on rugby history.

But Henry, the only foreign coach of the British and Irish Lions in 2001, known as the 'Great Redeemer' in his 1998-2002 spell in charge of Wales and a four-time IRB Coach of the Year, realises it's now all about Sunday.

"It is career-defining, I'm afraid," Henry said.

"Even though there are a lot of things I am very proud of, this is whether we put the icing on the cake."

The 65-year-old is stepping down after the tournament following seven years as head coach and the odds are he will go out a national hero, following his controversial re-appointment four years ago.

"I had a situation where I either could front or run away and I could not do that (disappear) because I expected them (the players) to front every week in Test matches. That's why I stood. I didn't think I would get the job," Henry recalled.

"When I reapplied in 2007, I thought they would appoint Robbie (Deans), and even in the interview I thought Robbie would get appointed."

Yet the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU), who'd previously axed coaches who'd failed to win the World Cup, put their faith in Henry, voting 7-1 for him, and Deans headed to Australia to coach the Wallabies.

Henry has been in a noticeably lighter mood at this World Cup.

Gone is his public irritability and waspish exchanges with the media. Now, the 'upside-down smile' is now more commonplace instead.

He and assistants Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith appear to have learned from their mistakes at the previous tournament.

'Ted', as he is known within the All Blacks camp, can also be self-deprecating and has an impish sense of humour.

After the All Blacks overcame dogged Argentina in the quarter-finals, Henry said: "We're through to a semi-final, I've never been there before. It feels bloody amazing."

Henry is meticulous in his game preparation and a shrewd tactician.

"In a general broadbrush term, I am probably the big-picture person. I let the others coach the detail while I'm looking at the gameplan in the sense of outplaying the opposition," he once said.

"It is a rollercoaster and I have been very lucky that the rollercoaster hasn't been too bad. I've only gone through that terrible pain of defeat 15 times out of a hundred."

Meanwhile, Henry says his 95-year-old mother will be delighted when the Rugby World Cup is over because she thinks he's under too much pressure.

Asked on Friday what a World Cup victory would mean to his family, Henry replied "Peace. Inner, eternal peace."

"Mum's still alive, she's 95," he said.

"She'll be delighted when it's finished, absolutely delighted because she thinks I'm under pressure. She doesn't understand that I don't do much. And my wife will be rejoicing."

Graham Henry will not make any rousing changing room speeches before Sunday's RWC Final against France as it's never been his way.

Henry revealed on Friday he says nothing in the dressing room immediately before matches, preferring to leave any last-minute talking to captain Richie McCaw or simply to leave his players alone with their thoughts.

Each of those players will be following their own carefully planned pre-match routine, performing tried and tested rituals designed to get them into the right mindset for the match of their careers.

Game-day rituals have always been a part of sport: most players have them and they play a vital role in calming them as they prepare.

Each will take the route that gets them to the match focused and ready to play.

"Each player's got their own prep on game day but I would say when everyone's ready it's pretty much gametime," said All Blacks scrum-half Andy Ellis.

"Everyone does their preparation during the day and before we get on the bus that's when everyone knows they're ready.

"Each individual listens to music, some of the boys stretch and others like to read over what things we are doing in the game so they've got a good understanding and they can go out there and just play."

Piri Weepu's own routine extends through the trip from the hotel to the stadium and into the locker room.

"When we get into the changing room I hang my jersey up where I can see it and put the headphones on and that's pretty much it," he said.

"It's just a song that plays in my head because I know without my team-mates I wouldn't be here and I'm pretty sure they feel the same.

Henry "doesn't do a lot of talking. It's basically our game leaders who are leading the team around and Richie," Weepu said.

"We pretty much leave our talking for what we do on the field."

The All Blacks coach is happy to leave the last-minute motivating to the players.

"Sunday night before they run out on the field is their time, it has to be their time," he said.

"They've got to get their own minds right and settled and on the job. People talking to them at that time is an absolute waste of time, in fact it's a distraction.

"Words will be said today and words will be said tomorrow. I personally don't believe it's the right time to talk to teams, just before they play."

France captain Thierry Dusautoir said his team may lack the same talent as New Zealand, but play with plenty of heart.

Dusautoir faces his toughest task in more than two years since he became France captain when he leads his country into a World Cup final against the All Blacks at Eden Park on Sunday.

The French flanker has been at the helm during some of the rugby nation's darkest days, notably a Six Nations defeat by Italy, heavy losses to South Africa and Argentina and then a record 59-16 loss to Australia and most recently a shock loss to Tonga.

Les Bleus lost two matches in the Pool stage of the World Cup to New Zealand and Tonga, but still managed to qualify as group runners-up.

France then went on to beat a lamentable England in the quarter-final before scraping 9-8 past a Wales team cut to 14 for more than an hour of a gruelling semi-final.

One more big game, led from the front by the ever-present Dusautoir, could be enough to seal an improbable turnaround for his France team.

"There are maybe some people who are cheesed off to see us in the final," Dusautoir said.

"We maybe don't have much talent but in any case we have heart.

"To have heart is enough to make it into the World Cup final."

No side has ever won the World Cup after losing one pool match, let alone two and France have certainly taken an unusual route to the final.

Amid rumours of internal strife between management and players, Dusautoir has had to try to ride out public criticism of the players from coach Marc Lievremont and ridicule from an unforgiving French press.

Dusautoir sprang to prominence when he produced an astonishing 38 tackles in France's stunning 2007 World Cup quarter-final victory over New Zealand.

In a style very different from that of loquacious former captains Fabien Galthie and Raphael Ibanez, Dusautoir said French rugby chiefs were well aware of his approach before they chose him as skipper.

"I'm maybe not quite as exuberant but I'm someone who analyses things and says measured things," said the 29-year-old Toulouse back-row forward.

"It's the way I am, I'm not going to change. They knew that I was like that when they selected me."

In 2010, Dusautoir, who has won three French titles with Biarritz and Toulouse and one European Cup with the latter side, captained France to their first Six Nations Grand Slam since 2004.

Born in the Ivory Coast capital of Abidjan, to an Ivorian mother and French father, Dusautoir only arrived in France at the age of 10.

His main sport as a youngster was judo, before taking up rugby at the relatively late age of 16.

The way Dusautoir plays certainly mirrors his judo training, the flanker enjoying great footwork and a composed tackling technique that shows a complete mastery of how to best distribute and use weight.

"He's a very motivational person," said France fly-half Morgan Parra.

"I think we are all leaders in our own clubs but he reminds us all what needs to be done at training, outside training.

"He leads by example with his defensive qualities."

Dusautoir said earlier this month that the France team were carrying baggage from the dip in form that followed the 2010 Grand Slam.

"Our last season wasn't good, unfortunately we're still carrying it like a burden," he said.

"Only big games and big performances will allow us to forget the bad experiences we had."

France head coach Marc Lièvremont has named his bench for Sunday's World Cup Final, with Damien Traille the only new face from last week's 22.

Lièvremont had earlier this week announced an unchanged XV from the one that beat Wales 9-8 in the semi-final, but decided to give himself some extra time regarding his bench options.

In the end he made just one switch among the replacemets, including the 32-year-old Traille, who made the last of his 85 Test appearances in last month's 37-17 Pool defeat by the All Blacks, at the expense of Cedric Heymans.

His decision means uncapped Toulouse half-back Jean Marc Doussain stays on the bench for Sunday's showpiece match at Eden Park, where New Zealand beat France in the inaugural 1987 World Cup final, with specialist fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc the other replacement back.

Forward reinforcement again comes from front-rows Dimitri Szarzewski and Fabien Barcella, with Julien Pierre shadowing the locks while Montpellier flanker Fulgence Ouedraogo provides back-row cover.

France: 15 Maxime Médard, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Aurélien Rougerie, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Alexis Palisson, 10 Morgan Parra, 9 Dimitri Yachvili, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Julien Bonnaire, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Pascal Papé, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Jean-Baptiste Poux.
Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Fabien Barcella, 18 Julien Pierre, 19 Fulgence Ouedraogo, 20 Jean-Marc Doussain, 21 François Trinh-Duc, 22 Damien Traille.

Date: Sunday, October 23
Kick-off: 21:00 (08:00 GMT)
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Craig Joubert
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Nigel Owens (Wales)
TMO: Guilio de Santis (Italy)

Both teams are finally locked in ahead of the World Cup Final so it is time to size up who will come out smiling in the individual battles at Eden Park.

Games are won and lost on dashes of brilliance or stupidity and never more than in the most pressurised 80 minutes of these players' lives.

We have our man in Auckland to take you through the runners and riders ahead of this Sunday, so take it away Planet Rugby's Adam Kyriacou.

Maxime Médard v Israel Dagg

Dagg was superb against Australia and what made his effort all the more impressive was the fact it was his first game back from picking up a knock. Mils Muliaina is no doubt one of the greatest full-backs ever to play the game and it would be wrong to throw tags around his successor's neck, but if Dagg can stay injury free and keep up this form he will be of similar stature. His opponent at 15, Médard, is similarly extravagant but unfortunately kicked most of the ball that came his way last week. When he runs he's a threat but whether he does or not relies on whether France want ball or territory.

Verdict: Israel Dagg

Vincent Clerc v Richard Kahui

The joint-top finisher in RWC 2011 meets Mr Reliable on Sunday. Clerc has somewhat quietly gone about his business in New Zealand and remains locked on six scores with Chris Ashton. He will pop up on the shoulder of his centres and will finish when given an opportunity, but like full-back Médard, we may not see much of the ball in his hands in Auckland. Kahui meanwhile hasn't put a foot wrong in his secondary position of wing, being solid under the high ball, strong in both defence and the kick-chase while just being one of those honest players. His big tackle on Quade Cooper further endeared him to the Kiwis.

Verdict: Tied

Aurélien Rougerie v Conrad Smith

As Graham Henry put it a few weeks back when talking about Smith: 'well he never has a bad game does he?' Ted is quite right as the 'Canes man has once again been a rock in defence for his country while offering enough in attack alongside Ma'a Nonu. On the other side of the coin, France general Rougerie has arguably not had the strongest World Cup but Finals are based more on the collective than showmanship so that won't bother him a jot.

Verdict: Tied

Maxime Mermoz v Ma'a Nonu

Mermoz has played five times for France at this World Cup and averages 0.4 line-breaks per game while Nonu is surprisingly only on 0.6. The Frenchman has made an average of 7.8 tackles to Nonu's 4.4 though which you would expect to head in one direction throughout the 80 minutes in Auckland. Against the Pumas, New Zealand looked almost rudderless minus Dan Carter, with Nonu their main threat so foiling him is Mermoz's job. Will it be enough?

Verdict: Ma'a Nonu

Alexis Palisson v Cory Jane

One part of the 2011 Hurricanes backline quintet, Jane has made the fourteen shirt his own at RWC 2011 and fully paid back the faith shown in him by coach Henry after what was a disappointing Super Rugby term (and also the night out). Palisson will have his work cut out on Sunday with Jane's step and fend one of the best in the business. I can therefore see this battle going only one way, with Jane my pick as being the RWC Final's first try-scorer.

Verdict: Cory Jane

Morgan Parra v Aaron Cruden

Few would have picked these two to be starting at 10 for their country, let alone in a World Cup Final. But an out-of-favour pivot and one nursing a sore groin means this is what we have on Sunday. Despite all the talk of targeting him over recent weeks, Parra has been defending stoutly since his move out one position and will have his ultimate test this week against Ma'a Nonu. Cruden meanwhile has traded skateboard for rugby ball and offers much more in an attacking sense which, if the All Blacks can dominate up front and at the breakdown, supporters will see a lot of. Cruden has the edge in this batlle in my opinion.

Verdict: Aaron Cruden

Dimitri Yachvili v Piri Weepu

Two rugby brains collide at the base with one set to kick a whole lot more than the other. Weepu's father apparently told his son before the World Cup to run more with the ball and it seems to have been taken on board, and be paying off for that matter. The All Black has been playing some of his best rugby and will try to up the pace of the game whenever possible. Meanwhile we expect Yachvili to attempt to adopt more of a management style.

Verdict: Tied

Imanol Harinordoquy v Kieran Read

Bringing back Harinordoquy to the XV has been a catalyst for France and in truth the same can be said about Read. Both are quality players who have been sorely missed by their respective sides and expect them to up their performances for the occasion. Tough one.

Verdict: Tied

Julien Bonnaire v Jerome Kaino

Wearing seven but packing down on the blindside, Bonnaire was one of only a few who impressed against Wales. He is a tireless worker and reads a situation on its merits - the mind goes back to his kick downfield last week - which is a major plus in the heat of a World Cup Final. Kaino meanwhile has arguably been the standout player in this tournament and was correctly rewarded with an IRB World Player of the Year nomination during the week.

Verdict: Jerome Kaino

Thierry Dusautoir v Richie McCaw

The captains will look each other in the eye on numerous occasions on Sunday when they toss the coin and then pack down opposite each other at scrum time. Dusautoir will be his usual hard-working self in going through his tackles and offering an outlet on the fringes for Yachvili while McCaw will have gained a great deal from his personal victory over David Pocock last week. One could see just how pleased he was in the post-match conference.

Verdict: Richie McCaw

Lionel Nallet v Sam Whitelock

35-year-old Nallet meets 23-year-old Whitelock on Sunday. That's right, 12 years his junior, the Crusader has been playing well beyond his years this past term and should go from strength to strength in the future. However due to it being a World Cup Final, I just have a slight feeling that the wisdom of Nallet might see him come out on top in this duel. Could it be a RWC double for the Whitelock family with Sam joining JWC champion brother Luke?

Verdict: Lionel Nallet

Pascal Papé v Brad Thorn

You are not that old Monsieur Nallet. At 36, Thorn will be the on-field veteran at Eden Park but as he has shown so often, you would never believe his age when watching him play. He was a tower of strength last weekend for the All Blacks and expect nothing less this Sunday.

Verdict: Brad Thorn

Nicolas Mas v Tony Woodcock

Mas worked his magic on an albeit weakened Welsh scrum but his performance was no fluke. While the Blues forward is arguably the more complete prop in terms of his ability to pop up in the backline, Mas is one of the best in the business at rugby's dark arts.

Verdict: Nicolas Mas

William Servat v Keven Mealamu

Are these two the standout hookers in the competition? It is difficult to prove otherwise and that leads on to a bit of praise for Mealamu, who was second choice behind Andrew Hore earlier in the year until a strong Super Rugby and his uncanny ability to dip under an initial hit nailed the shirt to his back. Servat will again be a warrior in blue before making way for Dimitri Szarzewski between 55 and 60 minutes so expect the kitchen sink from him.

Verdict: Tied

Jean-Baptiste Poux v Owen Franks

The best way to sum up just how solid Poux has been for France of late is the fact that Fabien Barcella cannot displace the Toulouse veteran from the XV. Playing in his third World Cup, Poux will have the experience over Franks but I feel that will not be enough to get the better of this quality youngster. Should Owen fail in his task then there is always the fresh legs of brother Ben to join the fray. It could be a tough hour or so for 32-year-old Poux.

Verdict: Owen Franks

Scores on the doors - France 2 New Zealand 8

New Zealand have named an unchanged starting XV for Sunday's Rugby World Cup Final against France at Eden Park.

The only change to the matchday 22 is on the bench and sees Adam Thomson, who has recovered from his high ankle strain, replace Victor Vito.

The All Blacks will again field a hugely experienced team, with 708 caps in the starting XV, with the side again captained by flanker Richie McCaw in his 103rd Test.

McCaw and fellow loose forwards Jerome Kaino and Kieran Read will become the most-capped loose forward trio in All Blacks history, playing their 21st Test together, one more than the trio of McCaw, Rodney So'oialo and Jerry Collins.

Keven Mealamu will play in his 92nd Test joining All Blacks great Sean Fitzpatrick as the most capped All Blacks hooker of all time and the joint third most capped All Black behind McCaw and Mils Muliaina.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the scale, Aaron Cruden will be playing in his ninth Test for the All Blacks compared, interestingly, with Grant Fox who was playing in just his seventh Test match in the 1987 Rugby World Cup Final, while it was Andrew Mehrtens' sixth Test match in the 1995 Final.

The All Blacks have played France 50 times since 1906, with 37 wins to the All Blacks, 12 to France and the one draw. The teams have played five times at the Rugby World Cup, with the 37- 17 Pool Play win to the All Blacks in this year's Tournament the last match.

The All Blacks beat France in the 1987 Final and in the 3rd /4th playoff match in 2003 with France scoring significant victories over the All Blacks in the 1999 semi-final and 2007 quarter-final.

"This is the biggest game of the players' lives and there is obvious excitement and anticipation at what lies ahead," said Head Coach Graham Henry .

"To be playing in the Final of the Rugby World Cup in front of our home crowd is going to be massive and a very special occasion for the team as well as our fans."

New Zealand: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Richard Kahui, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Brad Thorn, 4 Samuel Whitelock, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements:16 Andrew Hore, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Ali Williams, 19 Adam Thomson, 20 Andy Ellis, 21 Stephen Donald, 22 Sonny Bill Williams.

Date: Sunday, October 23
Kick-off: 21.00 ( 08.00 GMT / 09.00 BST / 10.00 SAST - CEST)
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Craig Joubert
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Nigel Owens (Wales)
TMO: Guilio de Santis (Italy)

As we edge closer to Sunday's RWC final between New Zealand and France, we single out a few players who we think need to be kept in check.

We decided on five players from each team - but going through the names it turned out to be much harder than we thought to single out just ten key players.

But after much debate, we thought we'd leave out the usual suspects like Richie McCaw from the black corner and Thierry Dusautoir in the blue - we know what they're capable of, and will get a mention in our special head to head feature set to follow suit.

For New Zealand:

Israel Dagg: A playmaker with vision and unpredictability that makes him a danger anywhere on the field, Dagg is devastating when joining the line on attack. The crowd-pleaser is a quick and elusive runner who is difficult to stop if he finds space. His kicking game is solid, but his ability to punish misdirected kicks with scything runs is what really makes him dangerous.

Piri Weepu: It's hard to believe that Weepu was unwanted by the All Blacks a few seasons ago, but now he's arguably their most valued player at the RWC where the veteran number nine has been one of the stand-out performers for the men in black. He is an extraordinary talent: one of the best readers of the game, Weepu's tactical direction he gives his side in the Final will be crucial. Oh, he's also a handy goal-kicker...

Aaron Cruden: Three weeks ago, New Zealanders had begun to fear the injury to Dan Carter had put paid to their hopes of ending a two-decade run of World Cup failures. Now the 22-year-old Cruden will run onto Eden Park in the All Blacks' number ten jersey, in a match which may see the end of New Zealand's barren World Cup years which began before he was born. Cruden played with a poise well beyond his years against Australia in his team's semi-final win over the weekend, and managed the All Blacks' game with calm efficiency. On Sunday the All Blacks will go into the World Cup final against France with a nation behind them, confident in Cruden's ability to do the job.

Jerome Kaino: The 1.96m, 109kg ball-carrying flanker is indeed an intimidating specimen. Expect big hits, barging runs and bone-shattering tackles from the big number six. One of the unsung heroes of the All Blacks' success - Kaino's nomination for this year's IRB's Player of the Year is fully deserved and, in my opinion, the leading candidate to win. Built like a battering ram, Kaino's power in the tackle and on the charge is critical to the balance of the All Blacks loose trio that is otherwise more skilful. But that's not to say Kaino lacks the skills!

Brad Thorn: The 36-year-old lock may be the oldest player on the pitch, but is the cornerstone of New Zealand's forward assault. Thorn is a hard man to bring down, has a strong driving game when it's tight and more than a handful for opponents when linking and carrying the ball in broken play. He plays with plenty of passion, and revs up the crowd more often than not. The World Cup Final offers Thorn the chance of a last hurrah on the international stage.

Tony Woodcock: An accomplished loosehead prop, the veteran front-rower is a strong scrummager and a powerful ball-carrier, often enabling front-foot ball through a solid hit or a carry that forces the defence on its heels. And with Woodcock in punishing form against the Aussies at scrum-time, we can't foresee the All Blacks rock taking a step back for anyone.

For France:

Vincent Clerc: A quick wing with excellent finishing skills, it's no surprise that the French flyer currently shares the most tries scored in the 2011 tournament with Chris Ashton (six touchdowns), and will be looking for two more to equal the RWC record of eight (shared by Bryan Habana and Jonah Lomu).

Aurélien Rougerie: A powerful, balanced runner with a good step and an ability to stand up in the tackle - the wing cum centre has been the catalyst for France in cracking open opposition defences. He may have chased away a few journalists at a recent press conference, but on form, it's the All Blacks that will be doing the chasing.

Morgan Parra: Ah, the French experiment. Whether it's worked or not is hard to say, but the fact that France are in the World Cup Final means that Parra must be doing something right. Right? The fuss over Parra's selection at fly-half means that his playing qualities have been overlooked. There is no doubt he can play well at pivot - he's shown he has the vision, skills and control to make it work. Though in a World Cup Final, it's one hell of a demanding position on a rugby field to be in...

Imanol Harinordoquy: Virtually unstoppable when playing off the base near to the line, Harinordoquy has a big, physical presence and almost always makes an impact. He's super strong in the tackle, carries the ball well and won't take his foot off the gas for the full 80 minutes. His man-of-the-match performance against England was class, and much of the same will be required against the Kiwis. As long as we're talking about ones to watch - keep an eye out for his wife. ooh la! la!

Julien Bonnaire: A man of the match performance in last week's win against Wales and Planet Rugby's MOM in France's quarter-final win over England, Bonnaire has without a doubt been one of the most consistent performers for France at the RWC. A hard-working loose forward, he provides a reliable option at the back of the line-out, carries the ball with purpose and is very strong on defence.

William Servat: The ever-dependable hooker has been a major force in all facets of play for France throughout the RWC. The 33-year-old is at the peak of his career and, with 40 plus caps, forms a key part of France's reputed front five. He missed out on selection in the pool defeat to NZ through injury, so will be happy to get a second bite at the cherry.

By Dave Morris

France halfback Dimitri Yachvili feels he and his team-mates will be tackling more than just the All Blacks in Sunday's Rugby World Cup final at Auckland's Eden Park.

As far as the veteran scrum-half perceives it, the Final will feature fifteen Frenchmen taking on the world.

The gulf in form between France and New Zealand, the fact the All Blacks are playing on home soil, and the widespread expectation that Les Bleus have almost no chance of winning tend to back Yachvili's argument.

Yet France remain motivated like never before, with Yachvili relishing the prospect of upsetting the overwhelming odds.

"We're aware that we're 80 minutes away from the supreme happiness," said Yachvili.

"We're aware that it's the biggest event of our lives. We'll be ready on Sunday."

Most of the capacity 60,000 crowd at Eden Park will be chanting for the All Blacks. The weight of expectation on New Zealand to win its first World Cup since 1987 is enormous, and the home fans are likely to make it a hostile atmosphere for France.

"We don't care," said Yachvili.

"We're training to play in a final. Maybe we shouldn't go to Eden Park on Sunday night and give them the Cup.

"We will have all the squad together, all of our families watching us in France, we don't care about the crowd ... We know we'll be fifteen on the pitch against all the world."

Yachvili and his team-mates know they've been written off in every quarter - from fans, media and bookies to just about every expert in world rugby.

The mantra remains the same: France have no chance, the All Blacks are World Champions before a ball has been kicked in anger.

"It's the impression we get ... that we don't deserve to be here," added Yachvili.

Meanwhile, France lock Pascal Pape said his team will hold no fear taking on the mighty All Blacks once again at the tournament. Pape has warned that his team are fully motivated to upset the odds after being written off ahead of Sunday's final.

France's semi-final performance against Wales - when they were outplayed by 14-man opponents before scraping a 9-8 win - has received widespread criticism.

However a written-off French team, though, is perhaps when they are at their most dangerous.

"It motivates us even more," said Pape. "It is like we are alone in this world, but it is not a problem. It gives us another push.

"We have reached the final. We have not had a great competition, but we are in the final. When you play sport, the focus is the championship.

"I don't think there are many French supporters left (in New Zealand). They never thought we would make it to the final.

"There are lots of All Blacks supporters, and that will bring us together even more.

"This is the World Cup final, and if there is any fear we might as well not bother turning up for. The motivation is extreme - we cannot fear this match."

Pape and his second-row partner Lionel Nallet face a key role in subduing New Zealand's impressive line-out.

"Their lineout is something they are good at," Pape added.

"The difficulty for us is getting our hand back on the ball. This is something we need to work on, and it will be an important element.

"The bar is very high and it is up to us to do a lot better. We have to play better than the rugby we played against them in the pool stage."

All Blacks flanker Jerome Kaino feels France need to be respected for making it as far as the Rugby World Cup final.

France lumbered their way through the Pool stage, failing to dominate either Japan or Canada, winning both games the hard way before losing to New Zealand 37-17 and to Tonga 19-14.

The French then upset the odds to beat England in the quarter-finals before scraping past Wales 9-8. Their latest victory earned them scant praise because the Welsh had conceded a one-man advantage for more than an hour after skipper Sam Warburton was red-carded.

France's patchy form, coupled with coach Marc Lievremont's often coarse appraisal of his players, has given the numerous doubters plenty of chances to knock the team.

In the betting houses, the odds are heavily stacked against France. But Kaino, recently nominated for the IRB Player of the Year award, thinks differently.

"The French love the underdog tag so I think we need to respect what the French have done," said Kaino.

"They've done so much to make the final, you need to respect that."

France have conceded tries in every match so far, and 12 overall in the tournament. However, Kaino was impressed with how France "shut down" the game in the last 20 minutes against Wales.

Les Bleus' defence has tightened up considerably since the All Blacks match and held firm for more than 20 phases as Wales launched its desperate late attack in last Saturday's semi-final.

"I thought France were defensively really sound," he said.

"Their loose forwards, which is my area, I think they won the game for the French. The backs are really nippy as well."

Veteran Wales fly-half Stephen Jones is looking to end his 2011 World Cup on a high when they run out to take on Australia in the Bronze Final on Friday.

The Welsh have undoubtedly been the standout nation in the northern hemisphere at the RWC, despite France having made it to the last two.

But for Jones, who is again on the bench this week, he's hoping that his team-mates continue their run of form and don't slack off at Eden Park.

"We want to make sure we're successful and we want to finish third in this competition," he said.

"There are a lot of proud people in this squad and back home who want us to do well and we have to make sure that we perform."

What was probably Jones' best answer of the day was in response to how Wales have recovered from the disappointment of losing the semi-final.

"We're playing in a World Cup game, you're putting the Welsh jersey on and that's a massive honour. Whenever you put that jersey on you have a responsibility to it," said a proud Jones.

Meanwhile, forwards coach Robin McBryde was also of the belief that Wales cannot bow out of the 2011 tournament with a whimper, which is great for supporters in Auckland on Friday.

"It's not the game we want to be in but let's make a good go of it," he said.

"We're not taking the Australian team lightly. We know it's going to be a battle. It's a game that we need to win.

"We can create a bit of history away from home, so it's not all lost. But we'll look forward to getting that welcome home back in Wales after a win on Friday night."

By Adam Kyriacou in Auckland

Wales hooker Huw Bennett is looking forward to the prospect of taking on Australia in Friday's third place play-off at Eden Park.

Both sides will be disappointed to be playing in the 'battle for bronze' match and not Sunday's World Cup final, but Bennett is keen to finish the tournament on a positive note.

"It is a big test of character for us," he said.

"It was a devastating blow to miss out on the final, but we have to move on and enjoy ourselves. We cannot dwell on France.

"We are involved in a play-off, and if you cannot get up for that then you are in the wrong job.

"You have to give the World Cup credit for what it is, and to be so close to making the final was heart-breaking.

"We only lost by one point, but we have moved on and we are relishing taking on Australia," added Bennett.

Bennett has been one of Wales' best players at the World Cup.

This feat has been made more remarkable because fellow hookers, regular captain Matthew Rees and Richard Hibbard, missed the World Cup through injury.

"With Matthew and Richard missing out because of injury, I have been able to stake my claim for the hooker's jersey," explained Bennett.

"Matthew would have had a pivotal role as captain, but when he was ruled out that left a gap for me.

"Everyone has worked hard, but I have been lucky enough to get the jersey."

Australia centre Adam Ashley-Cooper wants to come away with something to show from their flawed World Cup campaign.

The Wallabies took their semi-final drubbing by the All Blacks hard and face the mental challenge of recovering their motivation for Friday's third place play-off with Wales, largely viewed as an irrelevance at the tailend of a demanding six-week tournament.

New Zealand outplayed Australia 20-6 in Sunday's semi-final, while the Welsh, a man down following skipper Sam Warburton's early dismissal, lost 9-8 to France in the weekend's other knockout clash.

Amid widespread apathy over the 'bronze final', Ashley-Cooper said the opportunity to repay their fans were driving the Wallabies.

"We care and if they (Australia supporters) care about us, they would care. They need to know that the collective group here that are representing the country care a lot," said Ashley-Cooper.

"Obviously, we suffered a pretty significant loss at the weekend and we were all very upset, everyone took it personally, so we've got an opportunity to turn things around and we really want to win this game.

"I hope all the support back home is still with us and I'm hoping they care, like we do."

Ashley-Cooper, who has played every minute of his team's six games at the tournament, paid tribute to 33-year-old Nathan Sharpe, who is in line to become only the fifth Wallaby to play 100 Tests.

"Only four other players have done it before and that's just an incredible achievement," Ashley-Cooper said.

"I'm not sure how he's (Sharpe) feeling, but to put on the jersey once is enough, to put in 100 times that's amazing.

"So to share that not only with a team-mate, but a really good mate you've shared years with is special, you want to share that experience with him so there's a lot of motivation behind that."

Prop Ben Alexander is another Wallaby anxious for redress this week.

"We do care, we want something to show for this campaign," he said.

"We've put in a lot of hard work over the last few years leading up to this tournament and to walk away with nothing would just compound the pain we're already feeling now.

"We will be getting up and putting on a good show and hopefully we'll walk away with the bronze medal and say we were beaten by the best, we can handle that, but we still put in and we're going to put in again this week."

Australia and Wales will battle it out for third place at the Rugby World Cup at Eden Park on Friday after their hopes of winning the tournament were extinguished.

The bronze medal match is one no team really wants to be a part of. Having missed out on a spot in a World Cup final one imagines many teams would rather pack it in and head home than try to lift themselves for one more game.

With no qualifying berth or real glory on the line, Canadian skipper Pat Riordan's quote from earlier in the tournament that a "tie is a bit like kissing your cousin. It's great to kiss them - but it's your cousin," seems apt for this situation too; even a win will have a hollow feel to it.

Despite this, both sides will be looking to end the tournament strongly, with the Australians hoping to salvage some pride and the Welsh aiming to remind everyone just how good they have been.

It's Robbie Deans' men who come into the clash with more to prove having been comprehensively outmuscled by the All Blacks.

The Wallabies have endured an up-and-down year that ultimately has culminated in disappointment. Having beaten New Zealand to the Tri-Nations title, they entered the World Cup on a high only to lose against an unfancied Irish side during Pool play. A victory over the Springboks in the quarter-finals out them back on track but it was always going to be a tough ask to beat both the Kiwis and the South Africans on the way to the final.

There are a number of people under pressure in the Wallabies' set-up and none more so than Deans himself. A winning percentage of just 58.33 since he took over the reins in 2008 is unlikely to be deemed good enough for a Wallaby coach. Luckily for Deans, the former Crusaders boss signed a two-year contract extension before the start of the RWC, which will see him coach the Wallabies until 2013 at least.

Win or lose on Friday, Deans' job is safe.

A particular criticism of the coach has been his persistent selection of Pat McCabe at inside centre and a struggling Rocky Elsom on the flank. Neither man will take part in this week's game with Berrick Barnes and Scott Higginbotham their replacements.

The absence of Barnes against the All Blacks was heavily criticised and one can't help but wonder if the Waratahs man had been on Quade Cooper's inside whether the number ten would have enjoyed a more fruitful game.

It's Cooper who is the second man under pressure ahead of the clash with Wales and like Deans, a good showing now may not repair the damage done.

The mercurial fly-half is gaining a reputation as a bit of a flat track bully; his magical skills come to life against lesser opposition but under pressure against the toughest opposition he has be found wanting.

Conversely, the Welsh have stepped up their game in the fiery cauldron that is the World Cup. While the somewhat quizzical IRB rankings may see them sitting in the same position as when they entered the tournament, there can be no doubting that the Welsh are on the rise.

To have gone down by just one point to the French in the final four, despite being down a man for three-quarters of the match, was gut wrenching for the Welsh. And while the Wallabies may have underperformed, the Dragons have done the opposite.

Admittedly, they lost to the Springboks in Pool play and saw off the challenge of Samoa with some difficulty. But they showed glimpses of their true quality in those games and brought bucketloads of it against Ireland in the quarter-finals.

One of the most impressive aspects of the Welsh performance has been their all-round strength. With a solid scrum, potent loose forwards and impressive backs, it has been hard to find gaps in Warren Gatland's outfit.

Expect all fifteen men to get involved on Friday because if there is one thing that third/fourth play-off games are renowned for it is their high scores.

There have been thirteen tries scored in the last two bronze medal clashes, a figure that is more than that scored in the semi-finals and finals in the past two World Cups combined.

With both Wales and Australia happy to throw the ball around at the best of times one can expect them to do so even more at Eden Park.

Wales defeated Australia 22-21 in the play-off for third place at the inaugural 1987 World Cup in New Zealand, and neither team has played in one since.

Ones to watch:

For Wales: James Hook's versatility is beginning to turn into a bit of a curse. With Gatland unable to find a spot for the former Ospreys man early in tournament before injury saw him sidelined, Hook has fallen well behind in the queue for both the number ten and number fifteen jersey. After an indifferent performance in the semi-final, another poor showing could do Hook's future prospects real harm.

For Australia: Quade Cooper is a man with a fair sized ego, and for good reason too, he has some exceptional skills. Unfortunately there has been more dire than delightful on offer from the number ten of late. He needs a big game to rescue his confidence and send out a reminder that he remains one of the game's premier pivots.

Head to head: It has been suggested that one of the reasons that Cooper has struggled during the World Cup is because he hasn't been given front foot ball. It's not the first time the Australian front row has come in for criticism and at this rate it certainly won't be the last. While the Welsh may be without Adam Jones, the front three will be backing themselves to give Wales an early advantage by putting pressure on the Wallabies up front.

Recent results:

2010: Australia won 25-16 at the Millennium Stadium
2009: Australia won 33-12 at the Millennium Stadium
2008: Wales won 21-18 at the Millennium Stadium
2007: Australia won 32-20 at the Millennium Stadium
2007: Australia won 31-0 in Brisbane
2007: Australia won 29-23 in Sydney
2006: Match drawn 29-29 at the Millennium Stadium
2005: Wales won 24-22 at the Millennium Stadium
2003: Australia won 30-10 in Sydney
2001: Australia won 21-13 at the Millennium Stadium
1999: Australia won 24-9 at the Millennium Stadium (RWC)

Prediction: Neither team will know whether to laugh or cry at the end of this one regardless of the result. Wales are likely to have been harder hit by their semi-final defeat and the Australians will pounce on any slow start, trotting home by ten!

The teams:

Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Shane Williams, 10 James Hook, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Ryan Jones, 7 Toby Faletau, 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Luke Charteris, 4 Bradley Davies, 3 Paul James, 2 Huw Bennett, 1 Gethin Jenkins (c).
Replacements: 16 Lloyd Burns, 17 Ryan Bevington, 18 Alun Wyn Jones, 19 Andy Powell, 20 Lloyd Williams, 21 Stephen Jones, 22 Scott Williams.

Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 James O'Connor, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 David Pocock, 6 Scott Higginbotham, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 James Horwill (c), 3 Salesi Ma'afu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 Ben Alexander, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Radike Samo, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Anthony Faingaa, 22 Robert Horne.

Date: Friday, October 21
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 20:30 (07:30 GMT)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), George Clancy (Ireland)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

France wing Vincent Clerc says no matter what people think, his team deserve to be in the Rugby World Cup final.

Few critics give Les Bleus any chance of winning their first Webb Ellis trophy, and most expect the All Blacks to end a 24-year wait by clinching a second World Cup on home soil.

The French had scrappy wins over Japan and Canada in the pool stages of the competition before losing to New Zealand and Tonga and just scraping into the knockout rounds.

The contrast in form between the two teams means the odds are stacked even higher than usual in New Zealand's favour but Clerc says "nothing is written yet ... they're not world champions."

"I don't feel like a future loser, or someone who has no chance of winning," added Clerc, who has scored six tries in the tournament.

"We're still in the final, and despite how we've played so far, it's Sunday that counts.

"If we're here now it's that we deserve to be here. We've said for a while now that we came here to be world champions. Maybe it hasn't been a dream run, but we're going there to win."

The 30-year-old winger has good reason to believe in upsets. He was on the field when France beat New Zealand in the World Cup quarter-final four years ago - a match where, again, few credited the French as having any chance.

The New Zealand team of 2007 had been considered so dominant it was arguably even better than the current side.

"I think we like being in difficulty, that's how we manage to surpass ourselves and get the best out of ourselves," Clerc said.

"We need to believe in the impossible, and it's a bit like that against the All Blacks.

"They're always the favourites, and we're seen as the losers. It's a quality and a default of the French, but that's how we've managed to turn games around sometimes."

France are one of New Zealand's least favoured World Cup opponents. The All Blacks also lost the 1999 semi-final to France, which is also the last team to beat New Zealand at Eden Park - back in 1994. The French also won a Test two years ago in Dunedin.

"We know that maybe we're not as good as them, but that we can unsettle them and do some exceptional things," Clerc said.

"We did this in 2007, and in Dunedin a few years ago. That's a big source of inspiration for us. I think the French teams have always been a bit less talented than the All Blacks, but still managed improbable victories.

"You have to play the game of your life to beat the All Blacks, you have to be at 100 per cent in every domain," he added.

"We're going to need to be totally committed. But we also have to play intelligently and not try any old thing."

Four years ago, France rallied from a 13-3 half-time setback to win 20-18 in Cardiff. Even though France hosted that tournament, the fact it finished second in its pool meant it played the quarter-final match over in Cardiff, away from its home fans.

Clerc sees similarities with the team's current situation.

"We're all alone on the other side of the world," he said.

"In Cardiff we were all alone with no French fans there. There's the same kind of feeling as 2007. We don't want to miss out on this opportunity."

Clerc needs one more try to pull ahead of England winger Chris Ashton as the tournament's top try-scorer, unless New Zealand's backs run in a flurry of tries.

"I've never scored against the All Blacks," he said, "But, I'd never scored against England before, so if that's a sign of destiny and we can win, great.

"But If we don't score any tries like against Wales and win the World Cup, I'll be happy."

Craig Joubert will achieve a long-held ambition when he referees the World Cup final between New Zealand and France at Eden Park in Auckland on Sunday.

At 33, the South African is relatively young to be taking charge of the showpiece match but he has been refereeing since he was a teenager and later abandoned a banking career to become a professional whistle-blower.

Yet there will be a touch of sadness for Joubert when he gets the final under way as his late father Des, himself a referee and a mentor to his son, will not be there to see it.

"My late father got me into refereeing and I cannot help but think how proud he would have been," Joubert, who was 17 when his father died, told the New Zealand Herald.

"When he died it was a tough blow to get over. I was really close to him as a man but also we shared the refereeing. I hope he is sitting up there somewhere watching. I like to think that."

Joubert's mother, Lynne, a school teacher in the city of Pietermaritzburg, will be at the match after her son paid for her to fly in from South Africa.

"Craig started refereeing at a young age. His father was such a great influence in his life," she told the Natal Witness newspaper.

"When he lost him I wasn't sure he was going to continue but he was very positive and continued with rugby."

Much praised for the clarity of his decision-making and man-management, Joubert was unobtrusive while handling New Zealand's 20-6 semi-final win over Australia.

And All Blacks coach Graham Henry reacted to the news of his appointment for the final by saying: "He relates well to the players, he's cool, communicates well, has lots of composure.

"He's one of the top referees in the world over the last three or four years. The players enjoy playing with him."

Joubert told the Herald his approach to refereeing was to make his position clear to the players right from the start.

"I believe in the philosophy of being firm early on," he said. "It is like raising a child: they just want to know where the boundaries are.

"These guys are so disciplined they will react."

However, he added: "You have to deliver your message authoritatively, but with respect. Treat them like men, not children. They are grown men and none of us like being treated like children."

Injured fly-half Dan Carter has warned New Zealand to take heed of history when they face old foes France in the Rugby World Cup Final on Sunday.

As a member of their 2007 campaign when they were knocked out by France, Carter knows what kind of threat the unpredictable French can pose.

"They're our arch nemesis at World Cup time and we all know the past that we've had with the French," he said at a Thursday press conference.

"It's a very exciting situation that we're in, a final against France.

"They're such a dangerous side. Especially when their backs are against the wall and having a lot of doubters, that's when they step up and they've shown that in 2007 and also in 1999 (when they beat New Zealand in the semi-finals).

"We have to expect the unexpected. The French are the best at doing something to surprise us so the guys realise that we're in for a huge challenge, at World Cups teams come out and have heroic performances."

For playmaker Carter, who was ruled out of the remainder of Rugby World Cup 2011 with a groin injury at the end of the pool stages, France promise to be very dangerous opponents.

"The loose forward trio are world class," the 29-year-old said.

"They've been fantastic right throughout this World Cup, led by their skipper Thierry (Dusautoir). They are extremely dangerous ball carriers and around the ruck time, and they've got a fantastic scrum.

"I've been really impressed with their back three, they've also been extremely dangerous and have scored some fantastic tries."

After being told his World Cup was over after tearing a muscle in his groin, Carter admitted he initially wanted nothing more to do with the tournament. But he could not help but get caught up in the excitement of the event once those early emotions had died down.

"I was pretty gutted the first few days. I guess anger did creep in a little bit because I was just so gutted and didn't really want anything to do with the World Cup, and then it hit me after five or six days that I realised the World Cup is here in my home country and I'm going to make the most of it like everyone else," he said.

"I wasn't going to go to any games, I sort of dropped my lip a bit, but I decided to go to the games and enjoy the atmosphere. It's been quite different for me and I've loved every minute of it."

IRB Player of the Year nominee David Pocock said it was a 'huge honour' to be included in the six-strong list for the coveted individual rugby prize.

Pocock has been joined by fellow Wallaby Will Genia, French captain Thierry Dusautoir and All Black trio Jerome Kaino, Ma'a Nonu and Piri Weepu as possible winners. But Western Force openside flanker Pocock did reveal that he has tried to put the achievement to the back of his mind ahead of facing a hurting Wales on Friday.

"It's a huge honour to be nominated for such an award and I guess it's just that. You can't think about it too much with the game coming up tomorrow night," he said before talking Wales.

"They've a back row with a very high work rate. They get around the field well and they're a team in general that attack the rucks hard in attack and defence.

"They've got some real threats in their backline. Their centres are arguably the hardest running centres in the tournament and that gets them on the front foot a lot of the time. Off the back of that they've got guys with a lot of pace."

Pocock was one of two survivors in this week's pack from the one that lost to New Zealand. Into the side comes Nathan Sharpe for his 100th cap, a moment that Pocock hailed.

"He's had a huge influence on my rugby so far. He was there when I started at the (Western) Force and the past few seasons at the Wallabies as well. He's a guy that everyone looks up to, not just literally, but also as a guy with an amount of principle and who is a real leader on and off the field," Pocock said of his Force and Wallaby team-mate.

"He's someone you feel pretty comfortable going to with your problems. He always has time for you. He's not a bloke who doesn't really want to hang out with certain people in the group. I think it's that attitude and that inclusiveness of everyone that's made him the respected player he is.

"To excel for such a long period of time with all the changes in the game, that's a real testament to him as an individual and as an athlete. I think he made his (international) debut when I was 14 so that's a long time at the top."

Friday's fixture promises to be an entertaining warm-up for events that follow 48 hours afterwards, with Pocock backing the All Blacks to lift the Cup when the tournament ends.

"I do think they'll win but having said that, if any team can beat them it's France. They're a team that can pull out pretty special performances when they need to. Given last weekend they won without playing a whole heap, they might be up for a big one," he said.

By Adam Kyriacou in Auckland

Australia full-back Kurtley Beale has revealed he was devastated about missing out on facing New Zealand in the RWC semi-final last Sunday.

Beale came painfully close to being passed fit the crunch clash but could only watch from the stands as the strong All Blacks dumped the Wallabies out of the competition. However, he is back in the thick of things this weekend in a major boost to the side after being recalled at number fifteen.

"Missing the game last week was devastating. It was very frustrating in the stands surrounded by all the All Blacks supporters," explained Beale.

"I'm very disappointed about last week, but we've got an opportunity to leave our mark on the tournament and show everyone what we're really about. The boys are pretty keen to get out there and do a good job on the Welsh."

Many are predicting an open game in Friday's bronze medal match against Wales in the hope that both teams have no inhibitions, something Beale is openly praying for.

"Hopefully. That's the go-to. If the opportunity is there we'll take it, but if it's not we've got to still stick to our structures, plug it in the corners and try and turn the pressure on to them to see what they can do," he added.

Australia were treated to a visit from Jonah Lomu to training on Wednesday as the former All Black greeted the players and then watched their session from the stands. It proved quite a moment for the Wallaby players too, with some of them clearly star struck after meeting him.

"Unbelievable. Pretty crazy to have him there," continued Beale.

"I think it made the boys train better. Certainly, Digby Ioane had a bit of a shock there. It was a thrill to have him there.

"Just his presence was enough. He's a well-respected man in the game and one of the legends of the game. The way he played, everyone who plays rugby tries to emulate. Everyone tries to take parts of his game and put it into their own game to go out and play."

Meanwhile, Digby Ioane was less cool about the encounter.

"I saw Jonah at training and I just went up to him straight away and said, 'Hi, Jonah', and he said, 'What's up, Diggers?' Then I went 'sweet' and ran off to the field and told James (O'Connor) and Kurtley Beale, 'Jonah's just said my name'. They went 'No way' and James lied and said, 'He said my name, too', and I was like 'whatever, mate'," the Reds wing said.

"He's everyone's hero. There won't be another Jonah."

By Adam Kyriacou in Auckland

France flanker Julien Bonnaire has urged his team-mates to seize their opportunity when they run out against New Zealand in the World Cup Final.

The forward has forged a strong combination alongside captain Thierry Dusautoir and Imanol Harinordoquy during recent games and while he views the All Blacks as being favourites this week, Bonnaire says they have a chance of an upset.

"We are in New Zealand and they are playing at home and that is a bit of an advantage for them," the versatile back-row said on Wednesday.

"We know we are far from being favourites, given our level of the game at the moment. We have a small chance here and we need to take it.

"They are all great players, and not just the back row, the team as a whole. They are tough in terms of impact and they have solid defence. They have it all and good for them. They'll be everywhere on the pitch and we have nothing to lose.

"We will need a perfect match.

"We need to put them under pressure and we can't let them take control.

"We should not be afraid of winning. We have great qualities ourselves. We can't give up at all until the last minute."

The French journalists' walkout at a press conference was another episode in the soap opera that has been the team's RWC, with Bonnaire explaining the feelings in the camp.

"I think it is bit of a mixture," he said.

"There is a great deal of desire and we have worked hard to get to where we are. We may not have done things as well defensively but there is a great deal of solidarity on the team and we've done what we needed to do to reach this level and we need to enjoy the moment."

By Adam Kyriacou in Auckland

Wales wing George North believes the Red Dragons can finish their World Cup campaign on a high against Australia on Friday.

The two countries face each other in the bronze medal match at Eden Park and although both sides would have preferred to play there on Sunday, Friday's clash has the potential to be one of the most entertaining matches of the tournament.

Wales have retained 12 of their side that started in their 9-8 semi-final defeat to France and nineteen-year-old North can't wait to "have a crack" at the Wallabies.

"This is a young group of guys, and the way we are playing we are just enjoying our rugby," he said.

"That is going to be the key for us looking to the future.

"Everyone is excited to get a chance to play against a southern hemisphere side down in New Zealand. It is a great opportunity.

"There are very similar attributes in both the teams. We enjoy to play, throw the ball around and have a crack.

"Hopefully, it won't just be a boring 3-all game. Hopefully, it will be a good game to finish with, have a crack and enjoy it," added North.

With their World Cup adventure coming coming to an end, North said he aims make the most of his final match at this year's tournament.

"It's obviously disappointing, but you never know what is going to happen, do you?" he explained.

"With the talent we have in the squad and in the team, it will be a great game to watch.

"We look on ourselves these days and we are playing with what I guess people would call no fear.

"But it's not no fear, it's the confidence and ability and the confidence around us, everyone playing for each other and for the

benefit of the team."

With several of the Wales squad under the age of 25, the Scarlets stalwart is excited about the prospect of taking part in the next World Cup in England.

"We have Toby Faletau (20), Scott Williams and Lloyd Williams (both 21), Sam Warburton, Dan Lydiate (both 23), and Rhys Priestland," said North.

"It has been a great experience, and if all the boys are picked (in 2015), it will be another great chance.

"All the boys in the squad have really enjoyed every second. Personally, I've loved it. It has been a great two months for me out here and a great learning curve.

"I've learnt little things about my trade. Things I didn't know about, things I'm looking forward to try out and things I have to take forward to improve my game.

"It's come out of this World Cup, the back-threes' massive work-rate, and that is something I am looking to improve in my game.

"It is okay, but there is lot more to come, and I think that will add another dimension to my game.

"The massive support we've had, both here and back home, has been absolutely huge for us. To have 61,000 watching the semi-final at the Millennium Stadium was incredible.

"So I want to say a massive thanks to everybody who came out and supported us, in New Zealand and back home. Everyone really appreciates that," he added.

There was more drama at a French press conference on Wednesday when centre Aurélien Rougerie blasted the press for their "bland" questions, prompting a group of journalists to walk out.

The French have been constantly battered by questions regarding rifts in their squad and coach Marc Lièvremont's frequent criticisms of his team.

Lièvremont in particular has endured a tumultuous relationship with the media, calling the atmosphere at press conferences "detestable".

While the coach showed some signs of easing on Wednesday when he admitted he was wrong to slam his players for partying after their semi-final win, Rougerie was unable to hide his contempt for the press.

After engaging in a bizarre exchange with journalists in which he questioned why the squad had to endure such scrutiny while there was nobody to judge the critics, Rougerie said that he was tied of the "bland" questions being asked. In response, a group of around ten journalists walked out of the room.

Lock Lionel Nallet attempted to diffuse the situation by admitting that while he did not like the criticism it was now a non-issue with the final looming large.

The lock went on to say that the stand-off with the media helped the squad.

"In a way it brings us closer together... we've been getting massacred for a while now," he said.

"I don't see why I should be angry with the team. We're in the World Cup final. Obviously I would have liked to be 20 points up against Wales. There's been no recognition, that's for sure. If we win this match, there will be."

All Blacks prop Ben Franks believes the battle in the scrums will play a vital role in deciding the outcome of Sunday's RWC final.

New Zealand dominated the set-piece in their 20-6 semi-final win over Australia and despite indifferent all-round performances by France on their route the final, they pride themselves on their performances in the scrums.

France front rowers, hooker William Servat and props Nicolas Mas and Jean-Baptiste Poux are among the best in the world in their respective positions and will be no pushovers on Sunday.

Franks, who can play as a tighthead or loosehead prop, revealed that New Zealand take a pragmatic approach at the scrums.

"When you've got backs like the All Blacks have got you need to give them quality ball from set piece," he said.

"The better ball we can provide to them from lineout and scrum, the more effective they can be.

"And that's not just with the All Blacks. Every team wants to have that edge and to able to give their backs great ball and it's the physical contest too.

"As men you don't want to be taking backward steps. That's the great challenge of scrummaging and forward play. You win some and you lose some. But big games like this weekend, the team that can perform best in those sort of areas will go a long way toward winning it," added Franks.

He credited New Zealand's highly-respected scrum coach Mike Cron for the steady improvement the All Blacks' scrum has shown during the season.

"You've got to realise that when we come together as All Blacks, we're a group of guys who've come from different forward packs and it takes time to gel and to get those combinations together," explained Franks

The semi-final, he said, "was just a progression from when we started way back against Fiji (in June) and it's come right at the right time."

"The difference between a good scrum and a bad scrum can be very small so we need to go up another notch from the weekend because the French pack definitely will, so it will be a great finish," he added.

All Blacks number eight Kieran Read agreed that the All Blacks' are still working hard on the set-piece and that there is still plenty of room for improvement ahead of Sunday's final.

"It probably ebbs and flows," he said.

"Some games it goes great and some games maybe not quite so good.

"But I think consistently it's been of a pretty high standard the last few years and definitely at the moment it's a real strength and we just need to keep building it because there's no bigger test than the French pack. It's going to be a big battle for us," added Read.

France coach Marc Lièvremont believes criticising his players for going out on the town after their RWC semi-final win was a mistake.

Lièvremont hit out at some of his side, calling them "spoilt brats", after last Saturday's 9-8 win over Wales, when they ignored his request not to go out partying.

But Lièvremont now admits that he should have kept his thoughts to himself.

"I should have kept my big fat mouth shut when I saw myself quoted all over the front pages of the written press," he said at a press conference on Wednesday.

"I said those things in summing up their behaviour over the last four years and to put some pressure on them," he said.

"We spoke about it. Above all, they need us to be as one.

"When you spend four months with 30 players, you can't always be unanimous about things. I am not there to be my players' friend but to lead them to the end.

"We've done that and I hope to go a little further still," added Lièvremont.

He tried to justify his initial comments by comparing the current French squad's partying to his own experience as a France back rower in 1999 when the side partied for four days after they beat the All Blacks in the World Cup semi-final, only to implode in the final, which they lost to Australia.

France lock and former captain Lionel Nallet said he did not like his coach's criticism.

"I did not appreciate it at all but that is just my opinion," Nallet revealed.

"We already knew that the week was going to be complicated enough so perhaps there was no reason to add to that pressure," he explained.

"Quite truthfully, I did not like what he said. I do not want to go on about it. We have a final to play and we are not going to be focusing on things like this," he added.

Lièvremont's public criticism of his squad has led to rumours of a split between management and players and he took a swipe at France team manager Jo Maso, who opted to allow the All Blacks to use their black strip in the final, despite winning the toss for choice of kit colours.

This means that Les Bleus will have to wear their their all-white away kit instead of their normal blue outfit.

"I'm sure some of my players feel sorry about that," Lievremont said.

"They would obviously have wanted to deprive the All Blacks of their preferred playing kit."

However, he admitted that the choice of kit was not an important issue

"We could be in pink and them in purple and it would still be France versus New Zealand."

France have named an unchanged XV for their biggest fixture of the last 24 years, against New Zealand in this Sunday's Rugby World Cup Final.

Head coach Marc Lièvremont rolls out the same line-up for the third game in succession for their showdown with the All Blacks in Auckland.

Morgan Parra is again preferred at fly-half ahead of Francois Trinh-Duc while their back-row trio of Imanol Harinordoquy, Julien Bonnaire and Thierry Dusautoir remains behind locks Lionel Nallet and Pascal Papé in the French engine room.

France will hope to stifle New Zealand on Sunday while creating some opportunities of their own for clinical back-three, full-back Maxime Médard and wing duo Vincent Clerc and Alexis Palisson.

Les Bleus are underdogs to claim the Webb Ellis trophy but head into the game with an impressive record at Eden Park. They are also the last team to win in New Zealand, at Carisbrook in 2009.

France: 15 Maxime Médard, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Aurélien Rougerie, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Alexis Palisson, 10 Morgan Parra, 9 Dimitri Yachvili, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Julien Bonnaire, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Pascal Papé, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Jean-Baptiste Poux.
Replacements: To be confirmed by 21:00, Friday 21 October.

Date: Sunday, October 23
Kick-off: 21:00 (08:00 GMT)
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Craig Joubert
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Nigel Owens (Wales)
TMO: Guilio de Santis (Italy)

Australia coach Robbie Deans found time to praise Nathan Sharpe after naming the soon-to-be centurion in Friday's line-up that will face Wales.

Sharpe missed out on the matchday 22 against New Zealand but has been called in alongside captain James Horwill for their World Cup finale.

"It's a great milestone and it's well-deserved," Deans said about Sharpe's achievement.

"He's a class act, a good bloke to have in the group. He's got a huge amount of respect from his peers. He's a master of the line-out and does a lot of work not only in game but in preparation.

"He and Victor Matfield have probably been the two best line-out exponents in the last decade and that's a rivalry that's long standing."

Deans has freshened his side ahead of Friday's clash, with an all-new front-row of James Slipper, Tatafu Polota-Nau and Salesi Ma'afu joining Sharpe, Ben McCalman, Scott Higginbotham, Berrick Barnes and Kurtley Beale as the new faces from last week's loss to New Zealand.

"He is keen to play now," Deans said of Beale.

"If you'd asked him on the weekend he'd have said he wasn't that excited because he wasn't feeling that confident. He trained fully today, he was unrestricted and he came through it well. Now he is excited about playing so that's good.

"Berrick is working his way back to full confidence and playing well. We just felt for this week he warranted a bit more of a dig. He played half the game last week and in terms of the options that we had, we felt he was best equipped."

Australia were treated to a visit from All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu to their training session on Wednesday, with the former winger sitting in the stands watching them train. And Deans explained that it was a real treat for his players, with one feeling more star-struck than most.

"He just came in to catch up and he was good enough to share some time with the lads. It was great. Great for some of our younger players to have the opportunity to just chew the fat with him," he continued.

"Digby (Ioane) was pretty excited because Jonah knew his name. Pretty stoked about that."

By Adam Kyriacou in Auckland

Sonny Bill Williams has warned his New Zealand team-mates to 'expect the unexpected' from France in the Rugby World Cup Final on Sunday.

The centre, who enjoyed a stint with Top 14 outfit Toulon in the past, believes les Bleus have all the necessary weapons to stun the in-form All Blacks.

"They can shock us, as they've done in past World Cups," revealed a wary Williams on Wednesday.

"You can play against one side one week and then you play against them a couple of weeks later and they're a different team. Past form means nothing.

"Their scrum is up there with the best in the world, their lineout is not too bad either and their backs are unpredictable."

Williams admits that playing in the World Cup has been a special time in his career, a career that he reveals is not being planned too far ahead.

"Being with your team-mates for so long, I think that's when you start seeing those silly handshakes and that because you just get close to one another. You form friendships that last beyond the World Cup," he said of that on-field welcome moment with Israel Dagg.

"I haven't really thought too much about after the World Cup, I've just been having so much fun, going from week to week trying to stay alive and stay in the team. That's been the whole focus. Sunday is the big one and hopefully we can win it, because I think we deserve to."

Meanwhile another Williams, Ali, also joined in to ground the All Black feet by sounding a warning ahead of Sunday that New Zealand cannot get ahead too far ahead of themselves.

"If you are too relaxed then you overlook the little things, the intricacies of the game, but if you're not relaxed enough you can get too tense and you don't enjoy the moment," he said.

"We're just trying to enjoy the week, because it's different to any week that we'll ever have."

Auckland city centre is set to close several streets on Friday (for the bronze medal match and Sunday (for the final) in anticipation for its busiest period during the 2011 World Cup, with Williams revealing that he is enjoying his free lunches at the moment.

"I've never seen the country like this in my life. I was there in '95 when we had the America's Cup and that was pretty phenomenal but this is another world," he continued.

"I haven't had to pay for one breakfast at my local cafe yet, which is pretty brilliant. But the flags on the cars and the excitement of people getting into it. They haven't focused too much on the result they've focused on the whole event and for Kiwis that's pretty special."

By Adam Kyriacou in Auckland

Kurtley Beale will make his comeback for a much-changed Australia side on Friday in their bronze medal clash with an in-form Wales at Eden Park.

Beale's return allows the versatile Adam Ashley-Cooper to return to the midfield that sees Berrick Barnes included, with Anthony Fainga'a moving back to the bench to sit alongside Luke Burgess and Rob Horne as the backline substitutes.

Coach Robbie Deans has also named an entirely new starting front-row, six new faces among the starting eight, and two new backs for the game.

The Wallabies held light recovery sessions on Monday and Tuesday, but have already had four players ruled out due to injuries sustained on Sunday - centre Pat McCabe (shoulder), lock Dan Vickerman (shoulder, leg and nose), prop Sekope Kepu (eye) and hooker Stephen Moore (sternum).

Into their places in the XV come Barnes, Nathan Sharpe, James Slipper and Tatafu Polota-Nau.

Tighthead prop Ben Alexander, who has started in 10 of the 11 Tests played by Australia this year, has been given a lighter workload this week by being started off the bench, while Rocky Elsom has been omitted altogether, with Reds loose forward Scott Higginbotham starting on the side of the scrum.

Radike Samo and Ben McCalman have swapped roles from last weekend, with McCalman starting while Samo plays from the bench. The other alteration amongst the forwards on the bench sees Reds hooker Saia Fainga'a take up the position vacated by Polota-Nau's move.

Veteran lock forward Sharpe will reach 100 caps on Friday in an impressive milestone.

Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 James O'Connor, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 David Pocock, 6 Scott Higginbotham, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 James Horwill (c), 3 Salesi Ma'afu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 Ben Alexander, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Radike Samo, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Anthony Faingaa, 22 Robert Horne.

Date: Friday, October 21
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 20:30 (07:30 GMT)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), George Clancy (Ireland)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

Rugby World Cup Limited has happily revealed its delight over TV audience figures as rugby's showcase event reaches its finale this weekend.

In New Zealand a record 1.97 million cumulative audience tuned in to the 20-6 semi-final victory over Australia via TV One, SKY, TV3 and Maori Television, not including the significant number who would have watched the compelling action in public venues across the country or online.

Australians also tuned into the match in record numbers. A nationwide TV audience of 3.234 million people watched - smashing the all-time Pay TV viewership record for Fox Sports and topping the free-to-air ratings on Channel Nine.

No rugby match since the Rugby World Cup Final in 2003 has delivered an audience of the same magnitude in Australia. The tournament decider in Sydney eight years ago was watched by more than 4 million Australians. Channel Nine's free-to-air broadcast attracted 2.5 million viewers.

It was a similar picture in France where TF1 attracted an audience of 9.5 million for the semi-final between France and Wales despite the 10:00 kick-off time. The average audience for the match, which saw France secure their first place in a Final since 1999 was equal to a viewing share of 73 per cent.

In the United Kingdom, ITV registered its highest audience of RWC 2011 with an average of 5.9 million viewers watching France's 9-8 victory over Wales. The last 15 minutes of the match netted a peak audience of 6.6 million - a 58 per cent share.

"Rugby World Cup 2011 has been an exceptional event on and off the field and what we are seeing with the strong viewing figures is a reflection of the highly competitive and compelling matches and the tournament's position as a truly major international event," said Rugby World Cup Limited Chairman Bernard Lapasset.

"The audience figures in New Zealand highlight the massive level of interest in what is the biggest event ever to be hosted in the country. Rugby World Cup 2011 has captured the hearts and minds of a nation who have been exceptionally welcoming hosts. The scene is now set for a thrilling climax to the tournament."

As All Black fly-half Aaron Cruden prepares to face the enormous task of marshalling his team in a World Cup final, he will look for help from a man who would have hoped to be performing the task himself.

As the world's premier number ten, it goes without saying that if he were fit, Carter would be taking charge as New Zealand looking to secure their first World Cup since 1987.

However, with a groin injury cutting his tournament short, that mantle has now fallen to Cruden but Carter still has a role to play.

"Dan's always floating around the hotel and he's been really positive, always smiling and laughing with the boys," said Cruden.

"He sent me a text before the semi-final wishing me all the best.

"I'll definitely be going to him and just asking him what he thinks about certain things this week and pick his brains so I can be as well prepared as I can come kick-off time on Sunday."

All Black assistant coach Wayne Smith has praised the manner in which Cruden has bounced back after being dropped from the squad at the back end of last year.

"The thing that has really impressed me is that we left him out of the end-of-year tour last year for a reason, and we were pretty clear about that and he went away and worked on that," explained Smith.

"I think you've seen the difference there, particularly in his ability to kick and to dominate a game through kicking. I think that's been a big improvement. Like it or not, every All Black inside back needs that ability and he's gone and developed that through a lot of hard work.

"He's always shown composure. He's had bigger challenges in life than this and he's had to bring that courage and ability to handle pressure into this role. He's a pretty special kid I think."

As if the on-field clash between New Zealand and France on Sunday wasn't going to be intense enough already the two nations are now engaged in a media battle.

Unhappy with the apparent lack of respect shown to Les Blues, members of the French press have hit out at the New Zealand media's approach to the game.

"Since the beginning of the World Cup the New Zealand press has taken it upon themselves to unleash on Marc Lievremont's team," wrote Victor Dhollande-Monnier of Europe1.

"The top newspaper of the country joked on Sunday about the difficulties the French had defeating Wales. '80 Minutes and we're laughing' makes reference to the final next Sunday and it twists the knife with another article stating 'France give final insult'. The meaning of the title is clear: France have stolen a place in the final."

While further French journalists also took exception to the article which appeared in the New Zealand Herald, others have ramped up the psychological warfare ahead of the game.

"If South Africa is the historic rival of New Zealand, if Australia remains the hated neighbour, the France team is always a challenge, especially for the All Blacks who know the Blues are capable of anything," mused Grégory Jouin of Sport.francetv.fr .

"Two of the biggest disappointments for New Zealand in the World Cup came through the fault of those damn 'Frenchies' and no one in New Zealand has forgotten it," he added.

France's TV5 stated that the dismissive underdog tag that the French team was one that suited a nation who have rained on New Zealand's parade in the past.

"Since the first edition of the championships, the All Blacks have accumulated setbacks in the World Cup, especially against the French, dream breakers in the semifinals in 1999 (43-31) and the quarter-finals in 2007 (20-18).

"In other words, for the French, the atmosphere of the last week in Auckland will not be one of camaraderie. But this hostility seems to fit like a glove to the players of Marc Lievremont."

While general opinion may be that Quade Cooper's stocks have dropped during the World Cup, not too surprisingly his agent, Khoder Nasser, disagrees.

Cooper has been given a tough time by the crowds in New Zealand throughout the World Cup where he is viewed as 'public enemy number one'. It is not a role that Cooper has shied away from and and he even attempted to indulge in a few mind games in the build up to the semi-final clash with the All Blacks.

However, with the talking over, Cooper failed to deliver on the field, notching up one of his poorest performances in a Wallaby jersey during Sunday's semi-final. Having suffered a similar horror show against South Africa a week earlier, the 23-year-old has been hammered in the media.

Nasser has looked to downplay the failures of both the Wallabies and Cooper.

''Those people criticising him should understand where this team has come from and see the improvement and the great job they have done," Nasser told the Sydney Morning Herald.

''Not only did they win the Tri-Nations but, in the last World Cup, they only got to the quarter-finals whereas, this time, they lost in the semi-final against a superpower playing at home.

"Usually, the criticism is all weighed on the guy that they expect to get the team over the line; the exceptional players are expected to do exceptional things all the time,'' he said.

''In the end, Australia was only two wins away from winning the World Cup and they lost the semi-final against a very powerful team who should win the World Cup in their own country.''

Cooper has previously been courted by a number of Rugby League clubs, but in the wake of his performance on Sunday one unnamed player agent told the Daily Telegraph that the player's value had more than halved. National Rugby League team Parramatta's chief executive Paul Osborne added that his team had "dodged a bullet" by failing to sign Cooper.

Nasser dismissed such assertions with contempt.

''First, they aren't Quade's manager; secondly, they haven't even got the balls to put their names and so, thirdly, they probably don't even register on the map," he asserted.

''He was the most attacked player by the All Blacks, and you are not the most attacked player by the All Blacks if you are not a threat,'' Nasser added.

Wales winger Shane Williams admits that he may play one last Test after the World Cup.

The speedster was expected to call time on his international career after Friday's bronze medal match against Australia but this may not end up being the case.

Wales will face Australia once more at the Millennium Stadium in December and the Ospreys man admits the thought of playing his last Test in Cardiff is appealing.

"Of course it would be fantastic to have the chance to bow out at the Millennium Stadium. Let's wait and see," said the 34-year-old.

"I said I'd love to go out winning the World Cup, obviously that's not going to happen.

"The offer has been put there for me to play at a home match against Australia. I really don't know. I'd love to be able to play at home and have the chance to have my family and friends there."

Regardless of when he makes his international exit, Williams insists it will be on his own terms.

"I've always said that I'd rather retire than be retired," he added.

"Nothing's changed there, really. You know in your heart when it's time to move on. It's been in the back of mind for a while, of course it's an emotional time."

With just one week left in the 2011 World Cup, it's time for our weekly wrap up of who has been setting the benchmarks and who needs to be dropped to bench!

They're on fire!

Craig Joubert: The South African will referee the Rugby World Cup final between New Zealand and France in Auckland on Sunday, and we think it's fully deserved. Joubert has been the best whistle blower on show at a tournament where the men in the middle have come under plenty of stick. Whilst referees Bryce Lawrence and Alain Rolland were heavily criticised for their performances in their respective quarter-final and semi-final appointments, Joubert has been lauded for the way he handled Sunday's knockout match between New Zealand and Australia as well as his pool games prior to that.

The All Blacks: There was no choking by the Kiwis this time in a World Cup play-offs match. The Wallabies were bloodied and beaten in every aspect by a ferocious New Zealand onslaught, that saw the hosts dominate from kick-off. After losing both previous World Cup semi-final clashes against Australia, the All Blacks finally got one back on their arch-rivals with a 20-6 victory that puts them in prime position to win the William Webb Ellis trophy they have coveted, and cruelly been denied, for the past two decades.

King Richie's foot: Following a tense week of concerns over the fitness of captain Richie McCaw, the All Blacks skipper showed no sign of the foot injury - dating back to surgery for a stress fracture at the start of the year - that saw him pull out of two pool matches. Instead, McCaw delivered a masterclass performance to rival opposite number David Pocock.

Welsh 14: In China the number fourteen is an unlucky number, but Wales came agonisingly close to making it their luckiest number ever after their brave performance against the French with just fourteen men on the pitch ended in a one-point defeat. With the Welsh down to 14 men for most of the game after the controversial sending off of captain Sam Warburton for a dangerous tackle, they can be proud that they came close to winning with a player short - a true testament to their grit and fighting spirit.

Mrs. Dimitri Szarzewski: The French didn't produce too many highlights ON the field, but in the stands Florence Szarzewski was turning heads. Oh la la!

Someone turn the heater up...it's getting cold in here!

Conspiracy theorists: When buffoons on internet forums spout forth garbage about the World Cup being 'rigged' all you can do is shrug your shoulders and have a laugh. But when influential figures and certain sectors of a national press start making similar suggestions, you have to be concerned. Grumblings continue to come out of South Africa, where a Facebook status update from Springbok conditioning coach Neels Liebel was used as the basis for a story with the headline "Paddy's refs won World Cup for NZ." It came the day after highly respected Sports scientist Tim Noakes wrote a letter to a local newspaper where he said the "IRB must prove there wasn't" match-fixing. The story spread like wildfire across the country with headlines shouting "Bok game fixed." The comments from both individuals were irresponsible, even if they were sensationalised by the local press. Cynics would suggest the publicity will help the sales of Noakes's recently released book no end...

The Wallabies: With the exception of Digby Ioane, every member of the Aussie team in Sunday's semi-final was outplayed by his opposite number. Most disappointing were their star half-backs. No one was hyped up more than Will Genia and Quade Cooper before the tournament kicked off yet they went missing on the big day as the awesome form that took them to Super Rugby and Tri-Nations success was nowhere to be seen.

Les joueurs français qui sont sortis dimanche soir: Um, guys, when you've just put on a performance you should be ashamed of and the coach says "don't go out partying" and then you do - don't go crying to the press about how the coach washes dirty laundry in public. Qualifying for the World Cup Final is certainly worth a few beers, but perhaps stick to your hotel, out of the public spotlight...? Your coach learnt his lesson about partying too soon the hard way. He might be have some good advice for you after all.

Marc Lièvremont's moustache: OK, Marc, we understand that you lost a bet but that tash has got to go! No wonder no one listens to you. Silly lip fluff = zero credibility. Just ask PdV!

Compiled by Dave Morris and Ross Hastie

The reality that he is in the final throngs of his time with the All Blacks is finally setting in for New Zealand assistant coach Wayne Smith.

The 54-year-old will join Super Rugby outfit the Waikato Chiefs as an advisor at the end of the World Cup, ending an eight-year spell as Graham Henry's assistant.

Smith joined Henry's coaching staff in 2004 having previously coached the All Blacks himself between 2000 and 2001. The former fly-half also served as a technical advisor to All Blacks coach John Hart from 1998 to 1999.

However, his time with the national team will end after Sunday's World Cup final and Smith concedes he's happy just to be there.

"It sunk in a while ago that this was going to be my last week (but) it was a special feeling in the box with about five minutes to go (against Australia), knowing that it was going to go another week," he said.

"You can imagine how much effort, time and work by everyone has gone into getting to this situation. To be given an opportunity to be in a final, that is all you want.

"One team is going to come away as World Cup winners on Sunday and you just want that opportunity.

"I've had a lot of years. I wouldn't want to swap them for anything," he added.

"Greatest days of my life.

"But you just have to move on. Everyone needs to make decisions that are right for both parties and this is the right one.

"It's felt right for a while. But I'll get my fix (of All Blacks rugby) elsewhere."

Smith reveals that his coaching philosophy has been heavily influenced by the approach of the All Blacks' final opponents, the French.

"French rugby has had a huge influence (on my coaching)," Smith explained.

"A lot of my coaching was shaped when I was in Italy. I had a couple of mentors there. (France international) Pierre Villepreux and (former Benetton Treviso coach) Andre Buonomo, who a lot of people don't know. He had a huge influence on me.

"We come from a very analytical background in New Zealand and we coach the game analytically but they come from a global view.

"They look at movement on the field, game sense, and you develop your skills and techniques from understanding the game. We teach the techniques and then are not so strong in the game understanding.

"That was a real massive learning curve for me and something I have enjoyed. I came back from Italy with my own philosophy (which is) a fusing of both cultures."

Wales coach Warren Gatland was so stunned at Sam Warburton's red card in the semi-finals, that he considered cheating by depowering his scrum.

Warburton went off in the 18th minute of Saturday's 9-8 semi-final loss to France for a dangerous tip tackle on winger Vincent Clerc.

Wales had already lost prop Adam Jones to a calf injury when Warburton trudged off after referee Alain Rolland made a snap decision to expel him on the spot.

Gatland, still disappointed by the referee's decision, revealed that in the wake of the red card the coaches talked about faking an injury.

"I know a lot has been spoken about the red card," Gatland said.

"In retrospect, I can understand in any game under the letter of the law there are a number of decisions referees can make.

"I just thought on that occasion, given the significance of a World Cup semi-final, to give a yellow card would have been an appropriate decision.

"That is why they are appointed as the top referees in the world, because they make the right decisions."

Gatland continued: "I will give you an example with what happened after that. We'd already lost Adam Jones, and we discussed in the (coaches) box whether we would fake an injury to one of our props and go to uncontested scrums.

"But morally, I made the decision it wasn't the right thing to do.

"We could easily have done that in the first 25-30 minutes, but in the spirit of the game, in the spirit of a World Cup semi-final, I didn't think that was the fairest or the right thing.

"That is why I honestly believe Alain Rolland made the wrong decision. Under the rules and regulations he was perfectly entitled to give a red card. But every game is different.

"You have to take the circumstances of the situation and the intent, and in that situation, given his experience and the role he was given, a yellow card was the right decision to make."

With a man missing from the scrum, Wales had to use center Jamie Roberts as a loose forward on each of its own feeds to ensure it retained the ball. On the French feeds, Roberts stayed in the back-line to defend, leaving seven Welsh forwards to be pushed off the ball by an eight-man scrum.

An uncontested scrum would have taken the set-piece out of the equation, allowing Roberts to take his place in the back-line at all times.

Deliberately depowering the scrum is frowned upon in rugby, which has had its share of teams trying to manipulate the rules in recent years.

England had to suspend two coaches during this World Cup amid ball tampering allegations, when they switched balls before Jonny Wilkinson took conversions in a pool match against Romania.

The code was rocked two years ago by a fake injury in the so-called "Bloodgate" scandal in England, when Harlequins winger Tom Williams bit into a blood capsule during a 2009 Heineken Cup quarter-final against Leinster to enable a specialist kicker to be brought on as a so-called blood replacement.

Quins was fined an unprecedented 300,000 Euros (then $429,900) by a European Rugby Cup (ERC) panel in October 2009. Dean Richards left as Harlequins director of rugby and was banned for three years after being held responsible for the incident.

The minds of the New Zealand players are too imprinted with the memories of past defeats to take the French lightly in Sunday's World Cup Final.

While the All Blacks dispatched Australia 20-6 on Sunday night to reach the final, and beat the French convincingly in the very first World Cup final in 1987, history is not on their side against France since then.

France is an old hand at confounding logic at World Cups - twice rallying to beat the All Blacks in an epic 1999 semi-final and in the quarter-final four years ago.

"You can't fall asleep against the French. On their day they can turn up and destroy everyone, so we'll be watching that," New Zealand winger Cory Jane said.

"We've got to work hard this week so that when it comes to game time we don't give them a chance, try and suffocate them.

"One minute they do something, the next minute they do something completely different, so it's hard, but we've got to just worry about us."

The 28-year-old Jane was not on the field when France, inspired by ferocious tackling from its flanker Thierry Dusautoir, won an intense match under the floodlights in Cardiff 20-18 in 2007.

Neither was All Blacks pivot Aaron Cruden.

But the 22-year-old playmaker still has bitter memories of watching both games on television. He was only 10 when France produced a devastating second-half display to win 43-31 in the '99 semi-final - and is keen to make amends for the past.

"We'll be looking to redeem that this weekend," he said.

"We know as a team never to write the French off. They have been getting a lot of flak but it just shows the resilience in their team that they have made the World Cup final. No one probably thought it but they're there."

France was also the last team to beat New Zealand on its fabled Eden Park, 23-20 back in July, 1994.

Coach Graham Henry and captain Richie McCaw will both be keen to drum home the message never to write France off, having both felt the pain of that defeat in Cardiff four years ago.

"We've got a history with France in Rugby World Cups and we respect them, so it's going to be another big game," Henry said.

"I think there's a lot of respect for the French and the way they go about their rugby," McCaw added.

"It will be pretty easy for the boys to get their feet on the ground and get ready for this week."

France prop Fabien Barcella has warned the rugby world that their criticism at the World Cup will only make them stronger in the Final.

France's erratic form at the tournament has won them few admirers, but the confidence of the players remains intact heading into Sunday's World Cup Final against familiar rivals New Zealand.

France reached the final despite losing two pool matches and showing no kind of invention in their scrappy semi-final win against Wales, hanging on to win 9-8 against a team which conceded a one-man advantage for an hour.

Flair has long been considered a trademark in French teams, but even that has gone at this tournament, replaced by a rigid defence and an emphasis on kicking - not running - out of trouble.

Given all this, and that the odds are stacked in New Zealand's favour because of the hosts' 100 per cent winning record at the 2011 tournament, it would be easy to dismiss France's chances in the Final.

The French players views these things as positive omens.

"It's crazy, we're the only team in the history of rugby to lose two pool matches and reach the Final," Barcella said.

"We're a team that cultivates contrasts."

France's lowest point came after losing back-to-back games, 37-17 to New Zealand 19-14 to Tonga to conclude the pool stage.

The Tonga defeat was met with a mixture of fierce criticism and derision, and summed up how far the team had fallen.

Over the past 12 months, France has been thrashed at home 59-16 by Australia, suffered heavy defeats in Argentina and South Africa, and lost to Italy in the Six Nations Championship.

These defeats, however, seem now to have heightened the resolve of the team.

"We've taken some hidings, maybe we've come out of it stronger mentally," said Barcella, who has drawn inspiration from Italy's run to the title at the 2006 football World Cup.

"After the defeat (to Tonga) in Wellington, I said that when the Italian football team played badly for three matches and they still managed to be world champions."

What makes the French team so dangerous for New Zealand is the way it reacted from that Tonga defeat, summoning up pride and passion to beat England after racing to a 16-0 half-time lead in a performance that defied form as well as logic.

"I think if we had beaten Tonga we would have lost to England, that's for sure. That's the French way," prop Jean-Baptiste Poux said.

"The Tonga defeat did us the world of good, the whole squad became aware that rugby is above all a combat sport and that's what we showed against the English."

The public and media criticism at home and abroad has also served as a spur.

"The players have been laughing a lot at the headlines for a while now," said France coach Marc Lievremont.

"That's helped them pull together as well."

Win or lose, All Blacks veteran lock Brad Thorn said that Sunday's Rugby World Cup final will be his last game for New Zealand.

New Zealand's oldest ever World Cup player has been playing finals football for most of the past 14 years.

The 36-year-old Thorn made his name first in rugby league with the Brisbane Broncos in Australia's National Rugby League then Queensland in State of Origin and the Kangaroos in tests.

He scored the All Blacks' first try in the 2003 World Cup, returned to league for a third NRL title with the Broncos, and came back to union to star again with the Crusaders and All Blacks.

The 2011 World Cup final will be his All Blacks' swansong. He's retiring from international rugby to take up a club contract in Japan.

"To me this is pretty special," said Thorn.

"Whatever happens, this will be my last game in the black jersey.

"It's a really good place for me to be out there."

Thorn had his usual powerful game at lock in the intense 20-6 win over Australia in the semi-finals on Sunday, but distinguished himself with two mighty fist-pumps after an All Blacks tighthead, and waving at the crowd to cheer even louder for the team.

He said he wasn't going to apologize for the uncommon show of raw emotion, though no apology was necessary.

"When I was excited on Sunday night, we'd just pushed them off the ball," he said.

"It doesn't just happen, a lot goes on in there and maybe it might take a lock to understand but when you come out of that you feel you had a real big effort there. It doesn't happen easily and it's a really good moment."

In his inimitable way, the noted gym rat compared what he felt to doing his personal-best, once-only squat of 205 kilos.

"It's not much fun to do a max squat, it's intimidating," he said.

"When you do it you have to be hyped up and when you do the squat you feel pumped up.

"Scrummaging is like that. When it's their (put-in) you have to wait for the ball to come in. Can't just get momentum. As a unit you have to work together, especially the tight five, so to go up against another international pack and (get a tighthead). ... In the 70th minute of a test with an opportunity to go to a World Cup final, it was a pretty cool time in my opinion."

The chance to respond to the crowd's enthusiasm also was an opportunity too good to pass up, he added.

Thorn said he's been overwhelmed by the excitement of All Blacks fans. He noted they've waited to cheer the team when its left the hotel for the game, cheered their bus along the streets, as well as cheered in the stadium.

"From down in Stewart Island to the top of the North Island, some people say it's pressure (from the fans) but to me it's a lift," he said.

"New Zealand people are loving (the World Cup) and really want us to do well.

"For me, growing up in Australia (from the age of 8), I felt the same way cheering for the All Blacks at the World Cup and stuff. I can just relate remembering being a fan. So my fist up to the crowd was enjoying the moment with them."

Thorn said he enjoyed the moment, but he'd also moved on.

"You think anyone's going to care who won the semifinal in 2011? No one's going to care," he said. "It's about what happens this weekend, and we've got world-class opposition coming up."

He discounted France's poor display in the 9-8 semi-final win over Wales, having met Les Bleus six times for five wins in his 58-cap career.

"They've got an outstanding tight five, their loose trio's up there with ours as the best in the world, dangerous backs, great scrum, good lineout," he said.

"They'll come out and probably have a blinder this weekend."

The All Blacks may be overwhelming favourites for Sunday's World Cup final but New Zealand coach Graham Henry isn't getting complacent.

The only team to lose two pool games and still qualify for the quarter-finals, France bounced back from a woeful defeat at the hands of Tonga to beat England 19-12 in the last eight and then Wales 9-8 in Saturday's semi-final.

While many are predicting Marc Lièvremont's men to finally come unstuck against the All Blacks, Henry insists that the French are dangerous opponents.

"It's very important we come down," he said. "It was a huge game (against Australia) on the weekend - we can't stay up there.

"We've got to come down, get to base again, have a clean sheet of paper and build again for this Test match on Sunday against the French.

"Although they didn't play particularly well in their semi-final, we know they've got the ability to play outstandingly, and they have done that in the past.

"The French team, they can be the best in the world on their day.

"The All Blacks have had some great Test matches against the French during the last eight years, starting with that Paris Test in 2004 (New Zealand won 45-6).

"It was a game that put a lot of these young guys on the map, and a lot of them now have played 70, 80, 100 games for the All Blacks.

"But in 2007, after beating the French by 50 points or thereabouts in a game prior to that, we got beaten by them in the (World Cup) quarter-final. That's the reality.

"There is history in All Black-France Rugby World Cup games. Outside of that, apart from a Test in Dunedin, I think we've won every game.

"So we've won every game in France and lost one game at home over the last eight years to the French, and lost a World Cup quarter-final, which was the most bizarre game that I've ever been involved in.

"There is a lot of history there. The boys respect the French team, they've got a lot of very talented players and it will be a good final."

Having seen his side complete an impressive 20-6 semi-final victory over Australia on Sunday, Henry was understandably a happy man.

"It was a pretty heroic performance and everyone contributed to that. There was a real edge to everybody's game," he said.

"The Australians are a very good side, and they've got players who can cut you to pieces. They've got world class players in the backs, particularly.

"If you give them a chance, give them some space, they can take advantage of that, cut you to pieces and win rugby games against the odds."

Steve Thompson believes there where people who were intent on "tearing" England apart during their disappointing World Cup campaign.

England's time in New Zealand was overshadowed by a number of off-field incidents that ensured that the team stayed in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

The Rugby Football Union have since announced that they will investigate whether any members of the squad contravened their code of conduct.

However, while admitting that mistakes were made, Thompson believes that there where forces working against the team.

"It felt like from the day we turned up in New Zealand certain people were intent on tearing us to shreds," he wrote in his ESPNScrum column.

"Obviously some things have happened off the field but it was interesting to see Wales coach Warren Gatland say that his side are not whiter than white the other day.

"We haven't performed as well as we should have and some players got things wrong and they got reprimanded for that. They have apologised and we moved on but sometimes these issues get dragged out in public rather than people focusing on the rugby."

Despite being knocked out at the quarter-final stage by a French team they were expected to beat, Thompson believes that the team did not play that badly.

"Some of the combinations may not have worked as planned but I still think we played some good rugby even in the defeat to France." he said.

"We threw the ball around and produced some of our best rugby only for a few dropped balls and a couple of missed tackles to cost us. The fact that France have now made the final just adds to the frustration but fair play to them, they got the result they needed against us and Wales."

At the age of 33, many would expect Thompson to be considering international retirement, but as he begins a new chapter with Wasps, this appears not to be the case.

"Looking ahead, there is no way I am going to retire from international rugby," asserted the hooker.

"People may be saying I'm too old but if I am playing well for Wasps then I want to be playing for England. I want to wear the England jersey again but we'll see what happens. I don't know what is going on coaching wise and there is all this talk about various inquiries, but the hunger is still there and I am convinced this squad can still do something special."

World Cup finalists France have jumped into the top three of the IRB World Rankings following their semi-final victory over Wales.

Having dropped to eighth after their shock loss to Tonga in the pool stages, France have clawed their way up the rankings courtesy of wins against England and Wales.

Les Blues become the first nation in 16 months to break the Tri-Nations stranglehold on the top three spots, with the Springboks the team that drops to fourth.

It is the first time the South Africans have slipped out of the top three since the beginning of Rugby World Cup 2007.

Wales have dropped two places to sixth, the position they occupied when they arrived in New Zealand, after missing out on a first ever Rugby World Cup Final appearance, with England climbing one spot as a result.

The second semi-final did not result in a positional change, but New Zealand have improved their rating by seven-tenths following a commanding 20-6 victory over Australia which set up a repeat of the inaugural Rugby World Cup Final in 1987 against France.

New Zealand, who would have surrendered top spot with defeat, now have a cushion of 4.85 rating points over Australia at the top of the rankings. Australia were never in danger of losing second spot, even with defeat, and still remain 1.7 points above France.

IRB World Rankings:

1(1) New Zealand 91.34
2(2) Australia 86.49
3(5) France 84.79
4(3) South Africa 84.34
5(6) England 81.58
6(4) Wales 81.10
7(7) Ireland 80.65
8(8) Argentina 80.28
9(9) Tonga 76.63
10(10) Scotland 76.20
11(11) Samoa 75.81
12(12) Italy 73.99
13(13) Canada 72.92
14(14) Georgia 71.09
15(15) Japan 70.45
16(16) Fiji 68.78
17(17) USA 65.63
18(18) Romania 63.98
19(19) Namibia 61.24
20(20) Portugal 60.67

With thanks to the IRB

Wales skills coach Neil Jenkins believes captain Sam Warburton will bounce back quickly from the horrific ending to his World Cup.

Warburton was given a three-match suspension after Irish referee Alain Rolland gave him his marching orders for a dangerous tackle on France wing Vincent Clerc during Saturday's 9-8 semi-final loss at Eden Park.

The 23-year-old flanker will miss the bronze medal clash against Australia on Friday and can only resume playing on November 7.

Former Wales fly-half Jenkins said the sooner they must put Warburton's suspension behind them, and move on.

"What's gone is gone, there is not an awful lot we can do about it," he said.

"We have obviously got to respect the decisions they have made and move forward.

"It's in the past now, and we have got to look forward to Friday's game and try to put it to the back of our minds.

"We will move on and take the medicine that has been given to us.

"Alain (Rolland) is an experienced referee, he has made the call and you have got to respect that.

"To be fair to the young kid (Warburton) he has been outstanding. He has been outstanding all tournament in terms of his play and his leadership. Sometimes, in disappointment you learn a lot about yourself. He is not a malicious player, we all know that, he's a fantastic player.

"It is something you have just got to get over and recover quickly from. I am sure he will recover quite quickly from it," added Jenkins.

Loosehead prop Gethin Jenkins, who took over the captaincy when Warburton left the field against France, is favourite to skipper Wales on Friday.

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans believes his fly-half Quade Cooper does not deserve the abuse he is getting from New Zealanders.

The Wallabies playmaker has come in for vitriol since he arrived in New Zealand at the start of the World Cup and even declared himself the country's public enemy number one.

But Deans has come out in support of his playmaker and said the criticism Cooper has had to endure is unfair on the New Zealand-born pivot.

"There has been a lot made of something that's pretty small, really, when you look at it in the light of the whole game," said Deans.

"And that's tough for a young man. Whether he's warranted all that is a bit of a moot point."

After the All Blacks' 20-6 win over the Wallabies in Sunday's semi-final at Eden Park, their coach Graham Henry suggested Cooper could not expect respect from the Kiwi public as he had not earned it.

"I think Quade has brought a wee bit of that on himself," Henry said.

"He's got a wee bit of mileage to make up and he probably made up a bit tonight," he added.

But Deans praised Cooper for the way he has handled the criticism and he disagreed with Henry's views on his player.

"I've been very impressed actually with the way he's carried himself because clearly a lot of the dialogue has been unwarranted," he said.

"It's easy for people who really have no knowledge of the man to take a pot-shot. I think the way he's carried himself has been impressive under the circumstances."

Deans said he was confident that Cooper was in a position to move on and attain future success with the Wallabies.

"There's two ways he can go. You can absorb it, accept it for what it is, but maintain your focus on the things that are important and keep going," explained Deans

"Or you can let it get the better of you and turn your toes up. I'd like to think he won't be doing the latter."

The New Zealand media on Monday boldly predicted the All Blacks were set to end 24 years of World Cup pain against France, after dominating Australia in a pulsating semi-final display.

"This is our time!" ran a headline in Wellington's Dominion Post after the All Blacks steamrollered the Wallabies 20-6 at Auckland's Eden Park to set up a decider against Les Bleus at the same ground this coming Sunday.

Under the headline 'Epic All Blacks deliver on huge night', the New Zealand Herald's Dylan Cleaver wrote: "Yes we can and yes we did - in style.

"Twenty-four years after New Zealand and France played the first Rugby World Cup final on Eden Park, the two teams will meet there again," said Cleaver, who added the All Blacks had been "scintillating" in beating the Wallabies.

Coverage leading up to the clash with arch-rival Australia was cautious, with media mindful of the "choker" tag that has dogged the All Blacks, who have fallen victim to a string of upsets since their only World Cup title in 1987.

But the punditry took on a confident swagger after Graham Henry's team comfortably disposed of the Wallabies, seen by media here as the main threat to New Zealand's chances of winning the tournament.

"Graham Henry and the players would never admit it, but the All Blacks already have one hand and four fingers on the World Cup," the Dominion Post said.

While France eliminated New Zealand from the 1999 and 2007 World Cups, there was scant regard for the threat posed by the current team after the All Blacks thrashed the French 37-17 in a five-try romp during the pool phase.

"The All Blacks will confront a flawed French side in the final this Sunday - the perfect opportunity to erase ghosts of the past, and lift the World Cup for the first time in 24 years," the NZ Herald said.

"The Australians will have to wait four more years," it added, echoing a taunt former Wallaby skipper George Gregan directed at the New Zealand pack when Australia defeated the All Blacks in the 2003 semi-final.

All Black-turned TV commentator Anton Oliver acknowledged France's "gnarly, grizzly" pack but believed New Zealand's all-round talent would prove too much in a rematch of the inaugural 1987 final, which the All Blacks won 29-9.

"I still think we'll win, simply because we're the better team," he told Radio New Zealand.

"We're the better team right across the park. We can play any number of game (plans), we've shored up a lot of our weaknesses, we're very comfortable under the high ball."

Beneath the headline "France in the crosshairs of history" Dominion Post rugby writer Tony Robson was one of many commentators to indicate the All Blacks were ready to atone for decades of World Cup underachievement.

"It is now hard to escape the feeling that a 24-year dam is creaking," he said.

The NZ Herald's Wynne Gray said the emphatic nature of the win over Australia had helped lay to rest memories of past All Blacks defeats.

"This time they and the nation will feel destiny is ready to repeat when they return to Eden Park for the seventh Webb Ellis Cup decider," he said.

New Zealand will play the World Cup final in their traditional all black strip despite France, who will be in white shirts, winning the toss for choice of colours.

Historically, shirt colour never used to be an issue between the two countries with France wearing navy blue and New Zealand, this year's World Cup hosts, black.

But the decision of France's USA-based kit suppliers Nike to develop a darker blue shirt for the 2007 World Cup caused problems ahead of a quarter-final clash against New Zealand in Cardiff.

Eventually, after much debate, France played in blue and New Zealand an unfamiliar grey in a dramatic match the French won 20-18.

Traditionally in rugby, unlike football, if there was a clash of colours between the two teams it was the home side who would change.

Hence the sight of the All Blacks playing Tests against Scotland, whose first-choice colour is dark blue, in New Zealand while wearing white shirts.

But France team manager Jo Maso said Monday his side were happy to change as a mark of respect for "the welcome they'd received from the people of New Zealand, the faultless organisation of the tournament and the honour and pleasure of playing the 2011 Rugby World Cup final in the legendary stadium of Eden Park".

Australia are expecting to make changes for Friday's third place play-off with Wales after their hammering by the All Blacks ended their dreams of World Cup glory.

The Australians were no match for the rampant New Zealanders, going down 20-6 in their Eden Park semi-final on Sunday as the hosts and set up a tournament decider with France at the same venue this coming weekend.

Wallaby coach Robbie Deans said Monday there would be team changes against the Welsh, who were only edged out 9-8 by France on Saturday despite playing the last hour a man down following skipper Sam Warburton's red card for a lifting tackle.

"It's very likely that there will be changes, quite simply off the back of the burden that the core group has had and there are some pretty battered bodies," Deans said.

"(Prop) Sekope Kepu was down at the hospital this morning getting checked out with his eye, so we'll know more shortly, but the likelihood is that out of necessity there will be some changes."

Deans said lock Dan Vickerman, hooker Stephen Moore and centre Pat McCabe were knocked about, while full-back Kurtley Beale, who missed Sunday's semi with a hamstring strain, would not be risked unless he was 100 per cent fit.

The Kiwi coach said lock Nathan Sharpe would likely play in his 100th Test match in Friday's 'bronze final'.

Australia captain James Horwill said his devastated team would welcome the opportunity of quickly playing again and finishing their World Cup on a high note.

"I think it's a good thing that we're playing so soon because you can sit and dwell on these things now," he said.

Horwill said it was vital for the young Australia squad, many of them playing in their first World Cup, to experience the special character of the event.

"The World Cup is a unique tournament, this is my first experience of it and it's certainly different to any rugby I've played before, so that's the thing you learn from it," he said.

"For a number of guys it was our first tournament so it's a different style of rugby, everything's ramped up and we'll have to learn from this moving forward.

"There is no time to let your foot off the throat, you've always got to be prepared for any game and everything that comes at you, that's why it's so unique, it's just so relentless," the lock added.

Deans, re-appointed for a further two years before this World Cup, said he would take pride in the Wallabies' renaissance, even if he did not continue as coach beyond the British and Irish Lions' tour of Australia in 2013.

"I love what I do, I really have enjoyed this group of men, they are an impressive group of men," he said.

"They are fantastic in the way they've taken to their work and the way they are coming to understand the responsibility and the privilege that they have and I think they've shown that.

"I would see this group one day, and there will be a significant number who will get the opportunity, winning a World Cup and either way, if I was there or not, I'll take pride in any part I've played in it.

"We have to take value out of this World Cup, I've got no doubt that we will, but we've got a job to do on Friday first and this whole playing group will be better for the experience they've had."

Friday's match is a repeat of the third place play-off at the 1987 inaugural World Cup, which Wales won 22-21.

After initially threatening to quit rugby, Samoa centre Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu has now decided to continue playing.

It is believed that the International Rugby Board (IRB) were ready to impose an unconditional six-month ban on Fuimaono-Sapolu.

But an 11th-hour agreement to pay a NZ$1,000 fine paved the way for the ban to be turned into a suspended sentence for the Gloucester midfielder.

Fuimaono-Sapolu, who was quoted as saying that he does not want to play rugby anymore, is now expected to return to training at Gloucester later this week.

"I had to agree to a compromise to ensure I could be back at Gloucester," Fuimaono-Sapolu told thisisgloucestershire

"It made me feel like I didn't want to play rugby anymore, but that was frustration coming through really.

"I still feel I can serve the Samoan people through rugby, and I can't wait be back at Gloucester, to get back to what's an important job there," he added.

Gloucester coach Bryan Redpath said he expects his 'world-class' centre back at the club this week.

"All seven World Cup players will be in line for selection next weekend," he said.

"Eli is on a plane at the end of the weekend, and he'll be back in the early part of the week.

"He'll be back at the club and we'll take part of it from there, but he'll be in contention for selection with the other World Cup players.

"He needs to get back to playing and enjoying rugby, and we expect him to do that.

"I haven't spoken to him personally, I've left him a message and sent him a text explaining exactly what I expect of him, and I'm confident he'll understand and appreciate that," explained Redpath.

However, Fuimaono-Sapolu is not in the clear yet.

He must adhere to a set of IRB orders in an effective two-year probation.

IRB judicial officer Judge Jeff Blackett ruled Fuimaono-Sapolu must fulfil four conditions over the next two years to ensure his six-month ban does not come into force.

He must apologise in full and unreservedly to referee Nigel Owens for alleging bias and racism on the part of the Welsh official for his handling of Samoa's World Cup match with South Africa.

Fuimaono-Sapolu must also complete at least 100 hours of rugby community work in Samoa in support of IRB programmes.

He must also complete a recognised refereeing course in the next three months. And he must not be found guilty of any future misconduct cases from the result of public criticism of a match official.

Assistant coach Neil Jenkins says Wales has to grab the chance to become the third-best team in international rugby, even if that wasn't the aim coming into the World Cup.

Wales was beaten 9-8 by France in the first World Cup semifinal and Australia was beaten 20-6 by New Zealand in the second, leaving the number number-ranked Wallabies and the number four-ranked Welsh to play off for the bronze medal on Friday.

Jenkins said Wales was disappointed at losing its semi-final so narrowly, missing the chance to play New Zealand in Sunday's final, but would make the best of its situation.

"Obviously the final is the one we all want to be in," Jenkins said.

"But it's a Test match, it's an important Test match for us and we have to front up and be ready to go on Friday night.

"It's a big game for us. We want to try to become the third-best side in the world, that's what we'll try to do. We're up against a very good side - the Australians are going to be hurting as much as ourselves from losing against the All Blacks."

Jenkins drew parallels with the 2007 World Cup at which Argentina, underrated before the tournament, beat France in the bronze medal match to win widespread praise for placing third.

"I remember four years ago Argentina had a fantastic tournament," he said.

"South Africa were too good for them in the semi-finals but they played some outstanding rugby in that third-fourth game and comfortably beat France in Paris again.

"We'll be looking to play some rugby, try to do what we've done all tournament, play with some pride in ourselves, express ourselves, enjoy ourselves."

Friday's match was a further opportunity for a young Welsh team, coached by New Zealander Warren Gatland, to prove itself a rising force in world rugby, Jenkins said.

Led by its 23-year-old captain Sam Warburton, Wales lost only one match in pool play - to 2007 World Cup champion South Africa by a single point - and upset Ireland in the quarter-finals before going down to France in the semi-finals, again by a point.

Throughout the tournament Wales had played skillful and enterprising rugby, for which it had won recognition and admiration.

"The two games that we lost, we lost by a point each time," Jenkins said.

"So we're a very good side, we know we've made an awful lot of progress throughout the tournament and obviously prior to the tournament and we certainly want to show sides what we're about and turn up Friday night and put in a good performance.

"We haven't been in this situation before, losing a World Cup semifinal and obviously in four years' time you'd like to be in the final. But when we start training tomorrow we'll get a feeling for where the boys are at."

Jenkins praised the contribution Gatland has made to Welsh rugby in his four years in charge. Gatland recently signed a contract extension which will see him continue in the role of head coaches until 2015.

"I think other than last year the seasons we've had under Gats have been pretty impressive," he said.

"First up there was a Grand Slam, second year from my point of view we were only fractions away from back to back Grand Slams: one pass in Paris and a kick at home against Ireland in Cardiff and we could have been backing that up and no Welsh side has done that for a long time, if at all.

"The third season was disappointing but this year we've had a very good year and I think Gats is one of the best if not the best coach in the world."

New Zealand coach Graham Henry welcomed the appointment of South Africa's Craig Joubert as referee for the Rugby World Cup final against France.

The 33-year-old Joubert handled New Zealand's 20-6 semifinal win over Australia on Sunday and avoided any of the controversy that has followed some of the other knockout matches.

He's the second South African to referee a World Cup final following Andre Watson, who handled two championship matches.

"He's a referee who relates well to the players on the field," Henry said.

"He's very clear in his instructions and he's got a lot of composure out there.

"He's developed into one of the top referees in the world over the last three or four years and it's pleasing.

"The players enjoy playing when he's refereeing and I think that's the sign of a good ref."

Ireland's Alain Rolland, who took charge of the 2007 final, will be an assistant referee this time.

His controversial decision to red card Wales captain Sam Warburton for a dangerous tip tackle in the semi-final against France was backed by the International Rugby Board (IRB).

Welshman Nigel Owens, who was strongly criticised by Samoan players and fans for his handling of a pool stage match against South Africa, is the other touch judge for the final.

In other appointments confirmed Monday, England's Wayne Barnes will handle the third-place play-off between Australia and Wales on Friday.

IRB referees manager Paddy O'Brien said he was "delighted" with Joubert and Rolland's handling of the semi-finals and the appointments for the final were "entirely on merit."

"We may be nearing the conclusion of what has been a truly superb Rugby World Cup, but our focus remains firmly on consistency, penalising the clear and the obvious," O'Brien said.

"Collectively we continue to work together as a unit and maintain a zero tolerance attitude towards infringements and foul play across the key areas of the game."

South African Craig Joubert will referee the Rugby World Cup final between New Zealand and France in Auckland on Sunday.

Joubert, who took charge of the semi-final between New Zealand and Australia at the weekend, will become only the second South African to referee rugby's showcase match, following Andre Watson who blew the 1999 and 2003 finals.

"The whole team [of tournament referees] has performed superbly, assisted each other and bonded over the course of the last six weeks and I would like to thank them for their support and best wishes," Joubert said.

"I am now really looking forward to getting out there and enjoying the occasion."

His appointment was made by the International Rugby Board's (IRB) match official selection committee on Monday following a "thorough review of performances during the knockout phase".

Joubert will be joined by Alain Rolland of Ireland and Nigel Owens of Wales, the assistant referees, and Guilio de Santis of Italy, the television match official. Rolland is the reserve referee.

"The IRB match official selection committee was delighted with Craig and Alain's performances in the semi-finals," IRB referee manager Paddy O'Brien said in a statement.

Another South African, Shaun Veldsman, will be the television match official for the bronze-medal clash between Australia and Wales in Auckland on Friday.

Englishman Wayne Barnes will take charge of the match. He will be supported on the field by assistant referees Romain Poite (France) and George Clancy (Ireland).

"On behalf of the committee and all of the team I would like to congratulate Craig, Wayne and all the guys on their selection, which is entirely on merit," O'Brien said.

"We may be nearing the conclusion of what has been a truly superb Rugby World Cup, but our focus remains firmly on consistency, penalising the clear and the obvious, and tackling the 'big five' areas."

Controversial Samoa centre Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu has threatened to quit rugby after receiving a six-month suspended ban.

The Gloucester centre was found guilty of misconduct at a reconvened disciplinary hearing on Saturday after he accused referee Nigel Owens and the IRB of racism and bias via social media network Twitter.

His six-month ban, which is suspended for two years, will be activated unless he offers a "full and unconditional apology to Nigel Owens and unconditional retraction of any criticism of him."

He was also ordered to attend a minimum of 100 hours rugby community work in Samoa within the next 12 months and pass a recognised referee course within the next three months.

But Fuimaono-Sapolu claims he has now lost all enthusiasm for the game.

"I don't want to play rugby any more," he told New Zealand's Sunday Star-Times

"It is the most beautiful sport in the world... For me it's a beautiful sport that unfortunately has so many issues to be sorted out for it to be truly a democratic sport. I don't feel like playing rugby anymore."

Independent judicial officer Jeff Blackett of England, who heard Sapolu's case, ruled the comments about Owens "impugn his integrity and reputation both as a referee and as a man".

And Blackett, who labelled the player's behaviour towards Owens "offensive", insisted there was "absolutely no evidence the referee was biased in the sense that he deliberately favoured one side or the other".

"To suggest that Nigel Owens is racist against Samoans is also completely inappropriate," said Blackett.

Wallaby fly-half Quade Cooper said the difficult experience of Sunday's World Cup semi-final would help him growing as a player.

Cooper, who had one of his poorest games in a gold jersey during last weekend's epic 11-9 quarter-final win over holders South Africa, was once again unable to provide the spark Australia needed as they went down 20-6 to New Zealand at Eden Park.

By contrast, opposing fly-half Aaron Cruden, in only his second Test start, benefited from a more solid platform in front of him and admirably filled the boots of missing playmakers Dan Carter and Colin Slade.

"It has been a pretty surreal couple of weeks," Cruden said ahead of next Sunday's final against France.

In a sign of things to come, home fans at Eden Park booed when Cooper, born in the New Zealand timber milling town of Tokoroa, but who moved to Australia as a 14-year-old, had his name read out when the public address announcer ran through the teams.

"I think Quade has brought a wee bit of that on himself," All Blacks coach Graham Henry said in a reference to Cooper's past needling of New Zealand captain Richie McCaw that riled many Kiwi rugby supporters.

"You've got to earn some respect and he lost some respect from previous actions. But he kept his nose clean tonight."

Cooper said he would leave the World Cup an improved player for all the scrutiny he'd been subjected to during the tournament.

"Everyone is trying to get at me personally. I think I'm definitely going to be better off for it," he said.

"I got used to it and I think I grew a lot of confidence out of it. I'm not in a position to point fingers about that or have a cry about it.

"I am who I am. I'm going to play the way that I play and whether you like it or not, that's me."

Cooper, and Australia, had a tough night right from the moment his opening kick-off sailed straight into touch.

"It was a tough night for all of the boys," said coach Robbie Deans as he tried to turn the spotlight away from Cooper.

Many pundits thought the Wallabies missed a trick in omitting proven playmaker Matt Giteau from their World Cup squad.

But Deans insisted: "We don't believe it would have made any difference to us out there.

Australia captain James Horwill admitted his team had been outplayed by the All Blacks in Sunday's World Cup semi-final.

In a match where the Wallabies failed to score a try, New Zealand's relentless pressure and masterly forwards overwhelmed Australia in a brutal 20-6 semi-final win at Eden Park to put them in sight of a first World Cup triumph in 24 years.

"It's really disappointing," said Horwill.

"We probably needed to improve on a couple of areas but credit to the All Blacks, they deserved to win.

"Everyone's pretty disappointed. You can hear a pin drop in the dressing room. It's a tough pill to swallow."

The Wallabies now have to console themselves with a bronze final with Wales on Friday - a repeat of the 1987 third place play-off.

The Australians came off second best in the physical and tactical exchanges in the intimidating atmosphere of the All Blacks' Eden Park fortress, where the Wallabies haven't won since 1986.

The Tri-Nations champions were bloodied and beaten in every aspect by a ferocious New Zealand onslaught, that saw the hosts dominate from the opening kick-off and flustering the Wallabies into a multitude of errors.

"It wasn't a lack of effort from the group - we were beaten fair and square by a better side," Horwill said.

"I think we learnt from things we didn't do well. That experience against Ireland, we learnt from that. The disappointment is still pretty raw but the guys never stopped giving and offering themselves up."

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans, a New Zealander who left his homeland to become Australia's first foreign coach, expects the All Blacks to go on and win the World Cup.

"I think the All Blacks showed tonight that they are more than capable of winning that," Deans said.

"The intent is there... they're hungry, they'll take some stopping from here."

As for the Wallabies' performance, Deans said his team had no answer for the All Blacks.

"We changed our approach after half-time but we just weren't able to generate enough momentum and that inhibited our attack," he said.

"It was a tough night for all the boys. No-one enjoys coming second, they came here to win and we weren't successful."

Dynamic New Zealand ended a tense week of concerns over the fitness of captain Richie McCaw as they proved far too good for the Australians.

"It was awesome," flanker McCaw said.

"We realised we were going to have to front up and we had to be on the job for 80 minutes.

"Every single man did their best out there," he added after New Zealand reached their first World Cup final since 1995.

For New Zealand coach Graham Henry the win was especially sweet after he survived calls to be sacked and replaced by Deans, following the All Blacks' quarter-final defeat by France four years ago.

"They were fabulous, weren't they?", Henry said of his side.

"They showed huge character. From minute to minute they gave 100 per cent, they gave everything, they were just outstanding."

Henry, asked what was behind the victory, replied: "Four years of planning, I suppose. Four years of guys being frustrated and wanting to do the job, four years of trying to get things right."

The All Blacks will be overwhelming favourites when they return to Eden Park next weekend to play in a rematch of the inaugural 1987 World Cup Final against France, also at Eden Park, which New Zealand won 29-9.

And New Zealand have already beaten France once at this World Cup, winning a pool match 37-17.

Graham Henry labelled New Zealand's performance as 'outstanding' after the All Blacks booked their place in the 2011 World Cup Final on Sunday.

The host nation were a cut above Australia with a score from Ma'a Nonu, four Piri Weepu penalties and an Aaron Cruden drop-goal sealing the win.

And for coach Henry, who has led the All Blacks to their first final in sixteen years, it was a very proud moment and one that he enjoyed soaking up.

"I thought it was an outstanding performance. The boys were heroic out there and I'm very proud of them," he told the post-match press conference.

Next up for the host nation will be a clash with familiar World Cup foes France at this same venue, with Henry keen to keep feet grounded.

"We just need to build again for next week and get the same thing hopefully," he continued.

"The job hasn't been done yet and I think it's very important that we understand that and we get our feet back on the ground in the next two days and build again for this Test. In all honesty I thought the guys' character was superb tonight and you can't ask for more than that. The defence was quite outstanding but the job is not done."

Richie McCaw was superb for the All Blacks in winning his personal battle with David Pocock while Israel Dagg and Cory Jane starred at the back. But while agreeing that the duo and young fly-half Cruden had played well, flanker McCaw was quick to spread the praise.

"I thought the guys you mentioned were outstanding but they only function well too with everyone doing their job and I thought one to fifteen we were outstanding," he said.

"Up front if you look through the guys who came on, they have all played a lot of rugby and they set the tone but when you see the ball going in the air and the back-three take it and return the kicks with interest, the big boys enjoy that. They are special players and it's great to have them in the team and doing their job.

One other area the All Blacks enjoyed dominance in Auckland on Sunday was at scrum-time, with McCaw admitting that mini-battle was one that usually pays dividends in Tests.

"If you get a good scrum it's ball to attack from. We were disciplined and got reward and I thought we worked at it during the game and when it mattered, big scrums changed momentum," he added before explaining when he knew the game was in the bag.

"Packing down for that last scrum I looked at Will Genia and he said 'well done'. But as Graham said it's job done for this week and we're not going to get ahead of ourselves. We have given ourselves a chance and now we have to put a performance together that's the same if not better next week."

By Adam Kyriacou at Eden Park

New Zealand are just 80 minutes away from possible Rugby World Cup glory after booking their place in the final with a convincing 20-6 victory over Australia at Eden Park on Sunday.

The hosts - the only unbeaten team left in the tournament - will face France at the same venue in seven days in a repeat of the 1987 RWC final.

New Zealand led 14-6 at half-time thanks to a try from centre Ma'a Nonu, created by a brilliant run and offload by full-back Israel Dagg. And further points from Piri Weepu provided the cement.

Conditions were perfect for a fixture many had billed as being fitting of a final. The anthems and Kapa O Pango were stirring but the biggest cheer before 21:01 arrived at the kick-off when public enemy number one, Quade Cooper, sent his drop-kick out on the full. Cue happy Kiwis.

What also caused bums off seats was the form of Dagg - back in the team following injury - and he immediately caught the eye with his fine running ability. The full-back was slicing Australia to bits during the first six minutes and when he cut down the right before offloading back inside to Nonu, the hosts were on the board. Inspirational nine Weepu was unsuccessful with his first kick but nine Wallaby missed tackles was far cry from their effort against the Boks.

Weepu struck the post moments later when openside flanker David Pocock was penalised at the ruck but did discover his range on twelve minutes from a similar position.

Australia needed a foothold at 8-0 down as a fired-up New Zealand looked to work the body of their trans-Tasman rivals. Digby Ioane almost provided the perfect fillip to their cause from a counter-attack but fell just short of the line following a good fend on the covering defence. It resulted in three points however via the boot of James O'Connor which helped ease the early loss of prop Sekope Kepu to injury, James Slipper was his replacement.

Their reprieve was shortlived though as back came the hosts with a Cruden drop-goal. Meanwhile, Cooper was having the game of his nightmares, slicing numerous kicks from hand to go with that initial kick-off, with many a coach probably eyeing up Berrick Barnes.

In fact Barnes did emerge as a blood-bin replacement for Pat McCabe soon after fly-half Cooper had shown character when sitting back in the pocket in response to Cruden's effort. At 11-6 the game was nicely poised for Australia going into the break but then an unlucky ricochet off lock Dan Vickerman that went forward to Adam Ashley-Cooper promptly put the lead back to eight at 14-6. New Zealand's public were breathing a lot easier for their side.

It was looking like being the same final as 1987.

History being repeated gained further momentum not three minutes after the resumption too when an Owen Franks tackle led to McCabe holding on in a kickable position, Weepu having the simple task of extending matters to eleven as Australia and Robbie Deans worked out the next score would be vital. The probability that would be Gold was reducing by the minute however as mistake after mistake, such as obstruction and fumbles, foiled them.

What was also noticeable was the lack of impact Pocock was having on proceedings, with a tighter rule on the breakdown applied by Craig Joubert. Sunday's official did not however have to be a rocket scientist to spot the side-entry from hooker Stephen Moore but Weepu sent his penalty wide from distance, which was set to be his last act due to the arrival of Andy Ellis for the final fourteen minutes. Australia had also put on Tatafu Polota-Nau.

The Wallabies' front-row change made little impact to their cause and it was in fact New Zealand's Andrew Hore who enjoyed the better closing stages, first winning a breakdown penalty and then being the middle of All Black dominance at scrum-time. The game was all but sealed thanks to returning scrum-half Weepu - on for a bloodied Ellis - knocking over three points to make it 20-6. The Kiwis were home and hosed, or so they thought.

Why? A yellow card for replacement Sonny Bill Williams for a shoulder charge on Cooper made for an anxious final four minutes but the hosts stood firm. Next, France - again.

Man of the match: New Zealand's forwards were dominant from minute one but it was the cutting edge that Israel Dagg brought from full-back that sees him wrestle this award from one of his pack. Dagg was a calming presence when Australia kicked long, sending fine returns into touch while also combining those with the mesmeric step that has been thrilling Crusaders fans all year. Mils Muliaina leaves his fifteen jersey in very good hands.

Moment of the match: The All Blacks came out of the blocks firing and when Ma'a Nonu crossed with just six minutes gone, they were well on their way to a first final in 16 years.

Villain of the match: You know him, New Zealand loves to dislike him. Quade Cooper played the villain for those wearing black in the stands. Not his best night in Gold.

The scorers:

For Australia:
Pen: O'Connor
Drop: Cooper

For New Zealand:
Try: Nonu
Pens: Weepu 4
Drop: Cruden

Yellow card: S.B. Williams (New Zealand - 76th min - shoulder charge)

Australia: 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 James O'Connor, 13 Anthony Faingaa, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Radike Samo, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 James Horwill (c), 4 Dan Vickerman, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Sekope Kepu.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 James Slipper, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Ben McCalman, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Berrick Barnes, 22 Rob Horne.

New Zealand: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Richard Kahui, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Brad Thorn, 4 Samuel Whitelock, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Ali Williams, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Andy Ellis, 21 Stephen Donald, 22 Sonny Bill Williams.

Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Romain Poite (France)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

By Adam Kyriacou at Eden Park

Wales captain and flank Sam Warburton has been handed a three-week ban for his dangerous tackle on France wing Vincent Clerc in Saturday's semi-final of the World Cup.

Irish referee Alain Rolland acted immediately to red card Warburton who lifted and heavily dumped Clerc in the 19th minute of the match that France went on to win 9-8.

Warburton will miss the third-place play-off next week against either Australia or New Zealand.

The flanker admitted committing "a dangerous tip tackle" contrary to Law 10(4) (j) when he appeared at a disciplinary hearing on Sunday.

Tackles involving a player being lifted off the ground and tipped horizontally and then forced or dropped to the ground are illegal and constitute dangerous play. The IRB Memorandum issued on June 8, 2009 stated that such tackles "must be dealt with severely by referees and those involved in the off-field disciplinary process."

The Independent Judicial Officer determined the sending off to be appropriate in Law and the action in line with IRB directives to Unions, Teams and Match Officials.

The Judicial Officer concluded that the offence was mid range on the scale of seriousness, which has an entry point of six weeks.

He found that there were no aggravating features and there were compelling on-field and/or off-field mitigating features including the Player's admission, outstanding character and disciplinary record and remorse. Therefore, the suspension was reduced to a period of three weeks.

France fly-half Morgan Parra hurt his neck in his team's semi-final win over Wales on Saturday and will be restricted to light training ahead of the Rugby World Cup final.

Parra was wearing a neck brace as a precautionary measure on Sunday, and was among four players who had X-rays. The tests revealed no serious injuries and coach Marc Lièvremont expects all of them to be fit for the weekend final against either New Zealand or Australia.

Scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili continues to recover from a bruised thigh he sustained against England in the quarter-final.

Center Aurelien Rougerie (shoulder) and flanker Julien Bonnaire (bruising to his back) should be available when Lièvremont names his team this week.

Marc Lièvremont has stirred up more upheaval in his French World Cup squad, describing some players as "spoiled brats" after they ignored his orders and went out celebrating the narrow semifinal win over Wales.

France held on to edge a 14-man Welsh team 9-8 on Saturday night to reach its first World Cup final since 1999, when Lièvremont was a player in the squad.

"I went to bed in a bad mood because I'd asked the players not to go out, and I found out a few of them had gone out," Lièvremont, now the coach, said Sunday.

He called a meeting Sunday morning to reproach the players for their night out, telling them in harsh terms that they had let him down.

"I told them what I thought of them," he said. "That they're a bunch of undisciplined, spoiled brats, disobedient, sometimes selfish, always complaining, always whining, and they've been (frustrating me) for four years."

"It seems to be our way of functioning," Lièvremont continued, with an apparently serene look on his face, considering what he was saying. "I also told them I have a lot of affection for them, but it's a shame they don't know how to look after themselves."

Lièvremont has good reason to warn his players against getting carried away.

He recalls that the '99 team spent most of the week celebrating their inspired 43-31 comeback semifinal win over New Zealand and never prepared properly for the final, which they lost heavily to Australia.

"We're not world champions, we're in the final, that's all. I experienced this in 1999 ... why (does my attitude) surprise you? I'm surprised it surprises you," Lièvremont told reporters.

"Because in '99 we spent four days celebrating our semifinal win. We didn't prepare properly and I don't want us to relive the same thing."

Lièvremont has had harsh words toward his players before, berating them for their lackluster attitude in the opening pool win against Japan, and after the defeat to Tonga in the final pool match.

Perhaps with the repercussions from that in mind, he attempted to backtrack from his comments Sunday in a belated attempt at peacemaking.

"The night out is incidental, it's not that important," he said.

"It's not a few sneaky cigarettes, the two or three beers they're going to drink during the week or extra dessert they eat that's to hamper them for the preparation of the final."

Lièvremont continues to have tense relations with some of the French press, saying the players laughed at some of the headlines that have been written about the team.

But he appeared irritated when asked about France's level of performance against Wales, when France played for more than 60 minutes with an extra man but failed to score a try.

"I watched it again fairly early this morning, and I really enjoyed it," Lièvremont said with a wry smile when asked if he watched a video replay of the semi-final.

Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards revealed on Sunday that their narrow Rugby World Cup semi-final defeat to France has left him feeling 'empty'.

Edwards was clearly bottling in a great deal of displeasure after Saturday's loss, which was pioneered by the sending off of Sam Warburton.

"I am obviously empty really. We are not playing in the premier event in world rugby and I think in the opinion of the rugby world we could or should have been there," said the passionate coach.

"I think there is a sense of disappointment that a team that has acquitted itself so well and wants to play rugby is not in the premier event of the sport."

When asked his opinion on whether Alain Rolland was right to show a red card to captain Warburton, Edwards again held back with his comments.

"It is more important that I keep my dignity in what is a trying time," he added.

"Hopefully his appeal is successful and he plays on Friday (in the play-off for third place).

"It deserved a penalty at least and potentially a yellow card but in the end it is what the referee decides and not what I think or whatever.

"I felt we could have won the game and it is a testament to the ability, the attitude and the strength of this team. It is a shame for the rugby world that in what seems to be everyone's opinion that we are not playing in the blue-ribbon event of world rugby."

By Adam Kyriacou in Auckland

Wales captain and flanker Sam Warburton will have his red card hearing in Auckland on Sunday, 16 October, it has been confirmed.

The hearing follows an ordering off by referee Alain Rolland for a breach of Law 10.4(j), a dangerous tip tackle on France's Vincent Clerc during the Rugby World Cup 2011 semi-final.

The case will be heard by English Independent Judicial Officer Christopher Quinlan QC.

While the outcry from Welsh fans is sure to continue following Sam Warburton's red card in Saturday's World Cup semi-final loss to France, referee Alain Rolland's decision followed the letter of the law.

The International Rugby Board have a "zero tolerance" policy towards dangerous tackles of the type which saw the Wales skipper sent off at Eden Park.

In 2007, the IRB council approved a law ruling which made it clear that lifting and tipping tackles constituted dangerous play.

A subsequent referees seminar in London agreed that officials should "start at red and work backwards" for those types of tackle.

The evidence clearly shows that Warburton lifted Vincent Clerc beyond horizontal and the France wing landed on his back with his feet in the air. Once Clerc went beyond horizontal, it was Warburton's responsibility to ensure that he was brought to the ground safely or risk being sent off.

Law 10.4(j) reads: "Lifting a player from the ground and dropping or driving that player into the ground whilst that player's feet are still off the ground, such that the player's head and/or upper body come into contact with the ground, is dangerous play. Sanction: Penalty kick."

In 2009, the IRB issued a memorandum emphasising the need for dangerous tackles to be dealt with severely.

The memo listed three possible scenarios where the tackler is lifted horizontally off the ground:

- The player is lifted and then forced or "speared" into the ground. A red card should be issued for this type of tackle.

- The lifted player is dropped to the ground from a height with no regard to the player's safety. A red card should be issued for this type of tackle.

- For all other types of dangerous lifting tackles, it may be considered a penalty or yellow card is sufficient.

Warburton insisted after the game that there had been no malicious intent, but the memo adds: "Referees and citing commissioners should not make their decisions based on what they consider was the intention of the offending player.

"Their decision should be based on an objective assessment of the circumstances of the tackle."

"Regular directives to unions, match officials and judicial officers have been issued in recent years reinforcing the IRB's zero-tolerance stance regarding dangerous tackles and the promotion of player welfare," added an IRB spokesman.

Wales coach Warren Gatland has questioned why referee Alain Rolland did not consult his assistants before sending Sam Warburton off in Saturday's World Cup semi-final against France.

Warburton's departure - for a tip tackle on France wing Vincent Clerc at the end of the first quarter - effectively ended Welsh hopes of making the final, although they fought to the bitter end, eventually going down 9-8.

"I feel hollow. I feel our destiny was taken away from us in that minute," said Gatland.

"We accept Sam has lifted him and it probably warrants a yellow card under the directions the referees are sent about players being lifted.

"But he lets him go, he doesn't drive him into the ground and the player is fine to carry on.

"What surprises me is that the reaction of the referee is instant.

"For an experienced referee to make such a quick decision in the semi-final of the World Cup...I thought an experienced referee at that stage would have said, 'Hang on a minute, I'll bring my two touchies in'.

"They would have had a chance to look at the screen, see the replay and perhaps made a cool judgement.

"That decision ruined the semi-final. The team that goes down to 14 men shouldn't really be in the competition.

"I felt our destiny for having a chance to make the final was taken away from us with the red card.

"In a fantastic tournament there have been one or two matches where the referee has not been consistent enough.

"No disrespect to France or their players, they didn't make the decision and they are in the final."

Gatland suggested that Rolland's decision could have been influenced by "showmanship" from the French players.

"There might have been some showmanship," said the Kiwi coach.

"The player stayed down for a while and everyone carried on...there was a bit of pushing and shoving afterwards.

"Sam is not that type of player - he is not malicious.

"He was against a very small winger and he has gone into the tackle and he has lifted him - we accept that but the tackle wasn't carried on.

"It wasn't driving the player into the ground. I can accept he lifted him but I cannot see how that can be a red card situation."

Wales assistant coach Shaun Edwards was seeing red.

"It was a travesty for the competition because clearly the team who should be playing on Sunday night is not going to be," said Edwards.

"In times like this it is really important to keep your dignity and perhaps not say what you feel inside."

France scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili admitted his side were lucky to beat Wales in Saturday's RWC semi-final at Eden Park.

Despite losing their captain Sam Warburton in the first half, Wales dominated and had the better of both possession and territory but still lost 9-8.

"We know Wales maybe deserved to win because they had the injury [prop Adam Jones] and a red card," said Yachvilli.

"We didn't play our best rugby but we won and we are very happy," he added.

Although they lost two pool matches (to New Zealand and Tonga) France will now play in their third World Cup Final and Yachvilli knows they will have to improve considerably on their performance against Wales if they want to beat New Zealand or Australia.

"We started this competition very badly but we are proud because of the team spirit in the French team," he explained.

"In 1987 France were in the final and those players for us are legends, but now it's us."

Captain Thierry Dusautoir credited his team's defensive effort.

"We're really happy to be in the final. It was a really tough game but we are going to play a Rugby World Cup final so we are really happy," he said.

"We won thanks to our defence. We didn't play such good rugby, the way we can, but we played with our hearts."

France head coach Marc Lièvremont revealed that the result was all that mattered after watching his charges struggle past Wales on Saturday.

Les Bleus could not score a try past the fourteen men of Wales despite their numerical advantage for 62 minutes, only prevailing 9-8 at Eden Park.

"I think there are a lot of people annoyed that we have qualified but we played with our hearts," Lièvremont said after the game in Auckland.

"We have qualified for the final and that is all that counts. We had a guardian angel tonight."

Wales came at France hard during the closing stages but a shanked drop-goal from Stephen Jones and missed conversion cost them.

"They were still 45 metres away so I was quite serene," Lièvremont said of whether he was worried that Wales would claim a shock victory.

"We had to be concerned about a drop-goal. We had to be present in the ruck areas and move on Jones without getting a penalty."

"We did not start (the game) well and we lost confidence. When they went down to 14 and we had 15, we were still inhibited. But that does not matter. What matters is when they scored (a try) we kept our composure.

"I will not brood or be unhappy because it was not our best game. What matters is we are going to the final."

France will now wait to see whether they face either Australia or New Zealand in the final next Sunday, with Lièvremont saying he hopes it's the hosts who come through as victors.

"In our wildest dreams we always thought we would play the All Blacks," he revealed.

"I will always be an All Blacks supporter unless we play them."

By Adam Kyriacou at Eden Park

It's the match Robbie Deans has been building to as his Australia team attempt to prolong New Zealand's World Cup misery in Sunday's semi-final.

Ever since his appointment in 2008 after losing out on the All Blacks' coaching job to Graham Henry, Deans has been shaping Australia into a potent attacking force, as witnessed by their first Tri-Nations title in a decade this year.

Now the Wallabies face their moment of truth at the All Blacks' Eden Park fortress against the injury-ravaged New Zealanders, who are desperate to end a run of 24 years without winning the World Cup.

Australia have gone 12 internationals since they last tasted success at Eden Park in 1986 and no other visiting team has won there since France in 1994.

The Wallabies unravelled under All Blacks pressure during their last game in Auckland this year, losing 30-14, but made amends by outplaying the Kiwis in the Tri-Nations decider to win 25-20 in Brisbane three weeks later.

But a World Cup-ending groin injuries to both star fly-half Dan Carter and stand-in Colin Slade, leaving novice Aaron Cruden in the key position, combined with concern over the fitness of inspirational All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, have left this rugby-obsessed nation on edge.

Deans, who as a coach has won only three of his 14 encounters against Henry's All Blacks, is expecting a monumental battle with New Zealand.

"I feel it (injuries) will make them tougher and I firmly believe that because it galvanises them as a team and that is what rugby is all about," Deans said.

"All of these blokes are experienced at this level," the former All Black added. "They'll be very, very good."

Australia suffered a setback Saturday when full-back Kurtley Beale was ruled out with a hamstring strain.

But the Wallabies were clearly prepared for losing the exciting runner after bracketing Adam Ashley-Cooper, who will now take over at full-back, alongside him in Friday's team announcement.

"We always anticipated it would be unlikely that Kurtley would be ready, but we wanted to give him every opportunity to make it," said Deans.

Beale's absence means Australia will rely even more on the mercurial skills of playmaker Quade Cooper to unlock the All Blacks' defence and send the two-time champion Wallabies into their fourth final the following weekend.

New Zealand-born Cooper has been cast as the villain since coming 'home' for his on-field skirmishes with McCaw and was off his game in Australia's backs-to-the wall 11-9 quarter-win over defending champions South Africa.

But centre Ma'a Nonu was one All Black not selling Cooper short, even in the seething cauldron of 60,000 booing Kiwi fans.

"With all the talk about him not having a good World Cup and all the emphasis on Quade, everyone bagging (criticising) him, I think he's going to be desperate and at the same time he's going to be dangerous," Nonu said.

"He wants to prove a lot of people wrong."

New Zealand lost both the 1991 and 2003 World Cup semi-finals to Australia but Deans knows it will take a supreme performance for his Wallabies to make it through this year.

"We'll have to trust ourselves and back our systems as well as hang tough when the traffic starts coming the other way."

The pressure is also squarely on Henry, bidding to bring home the Webb Ellis Cup after overseeing the All Blacks' shattering quarter-final defeat by France at the 2007 tournament.

"It's probably the biggest game these guys have played in 10 years," Henry said.

"It happens to be Australia, they're a big brother to us in many ways and it's a positive relationship, it brings the best out of New Zealanders.

"We know them, they know us well, there's a lot rivalry, but I don't think it's any different from playing anyone else in a Rugby World Cup semi-final, you've just got to do the business."

Red-carded captain Sam Warburton said his tackle on Vincent Clerc was not malicious as fourteen-man Wales bowed out of the RWC on Saturday.

Warburton was sent-off with eighteen minutes played in Auckland for a tip-tackle on Clerc, which has left many seeing the offence as only yellow.

France won 9-8 in the end thanks to three Morgan Parra penalties while Wales responded via James Hook and a second-half Mike Phillips try.

"Obviously I'm gutted about the red card but it was nothing malicious," said Warburton afterwards.

"As soon as I hit him his body weight controlled what happened, I went to compete for the ball afterwards thinking it was a normal tackle and the next thing I know I was walking off. All the boys are gutted about the result but they showed courage and bravery throughout."

Meanwhile, head coach Warren Gatland was also left 'gutted' about referee Alain Rolland's decision and questioned why the official did not communicate with his two assistants.

"He is not a dirty player so what's the point in spoiling a semi-final by giving him a red card. I am absolutely gutted about it," he said.

"But we showed great character and if we'd have slotted a goal we might have won the game. But we were down a man against world-class opposition and the fact we had a chance to win just shows the character of our players. I'm really proud of them.

"It's sad but we can't come to just one tournament and do well, we have to kick on all year and hopefully there will be other opportunities to reach a final with these players. We have to respond, take it on the chin."

By Adam Kyriacou at Eden Park

France booked their place in the 2011 Rugby World Cup Final with a 9-8 win over Wales at Eden Park on Saturday.

Did they deserve it for the way they played against fourteen men? No. But that is rugby as Wales bow out following what was a superb tournament.

Sam Warburton was the man shown red for a dangerous tackle after just 18 minutes but that didn't stop Wales from scoring the only try of the game, through Mike Phillips on the hour mark.

But it wasn't enough in the end as three Morgan Parra penalties ultimately trumped a solitary three-pointer from James Hook and that try.

A repeat of the 1987 final is almost complete.

Not ten minutes before kick-off the heavens opened over Eden Park as hopes of an open spectacle took a knock before the semi-final had even got going. Perhaps the nagging question was who would the new conditions favour but before opinions were given, the rain abated.

Despite an almost immediate Welsh pack foray through the driving maul, it was France who came out of the blocks with the bit between their teeth when William Servat found space on the blindside to allow go-forward ball that took them into the red zone. However, Wales were solid enough to counteract that attack and soon set off on one of their own, fly-half Hook it was who put the ball into George North's grasp which led to the game's first three points.

Wales were looking like the confidence they had picked up during earlier rounds was still coursing through the veins and a dominant first scrummage against the French - which saw them awarded a penalty by referee Alain Rolland - gave them an extra shot in the arm. Hook's missed attempt at goal definitely was not what the doctor ordered though. Neither was the sight of in-form prop Adam Jones limping off with only twelve minutes gone.

It was all going swimmingly for the Welsh until the moment arrived that turned the game and all but ended their hopes of making the World Cup final. France were looking to attack the fringes of a line-out on halfway but Vincent Clerc found his path firmly shut by flanker Warburton - the skipper lifting, turning and tipping Clerc much to the displeasure of Rolland. Warburton was shown red amid mass boos and jeers from the supporters wearing that colour. As expected, the fallout of that refereeeing decision is already well underway.

For Wales it was abundantly clear that they now needed the performance of their lives while France could almost smell another final on New Zealand soil. Parra - given the kicking tee earlier in the day - quickly helped them on their way with a penalty just after the quarter and another on minute 33. That saw France go 6-3 up but there was still a feeling Wales had something in their locker, before or after Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards got their say.

What might have given the Wales players and coaching staff encouragement was the statistic that France made 22 more tackles during the first-half. A sign of Welsh pride.

Let's be honest, Wales had to clutch all of the mini-victories they could at this stage but seeing Servat and Jean-Baptiste Poux being replaced by the fresh legs of forwards Dimitri Szarzewski and Fabien Barcella just four minutes into their return was not something they could spin into a positive. Neither was another three from Parra after a collapsed driving maul brought an end to a sustained period of territory for Les Bleus. 9-3 was now their lead.

Gatland had obviously sensed that without their captain on the field, Wales needed real experience in the middle and who better to call upon than someone with 100+ caps in his cabinet. Enter Stephen Jones in place of Hook and so it began as Wales did superbly to weather that passage of pressure before Phillips, like against Ireland, caught the defence napping, fending and ghosting through for a key score. Jones missed the extras though.

The crowd had found their voice and feet once again, as did the replacement benches of both sides as Bradley Davies and Julien Pierre joined the fray ahead of the final fifteen.

It had turned into a true semi-final as no one knew which way the game would turn next. A single point was all that was in it and the tension was palpable, no more so than when Wales set up camp five out on two occasions. Their first charge resulted in a horrible left-footed drop-goal attempt by Jones before he failed to get into the pocket for the second.

There was further drama to come, however, when prop Nicolas Mas was ruled offside at a ruck. But Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny's 75th minute long-range penalty dipped under the crossbar.

And those three chances proved their golden moments as France held on for an undeserved place in the final, with several of their players looking embarrassed about celebrating.

Man of the match: All fourteen Welsh players on the field. They played with their hearts on their sleeves for their country and were desperately unlucky not to be in next week's final.

Moment of the match: Simple; the red card for Sam Warburton.

Villain of the match: A quick decision from match referee Alain Rolland pretty much sealed the fate of Wales. If he had of taken time to talk to his touch-judges Wayne Barnes and Jonathan Kaplan then maybe the game might not have been soured.

The scorers:

For Wales:
Try: Phillips
Pen: Hook

For France:
Pens: Parra 3

Red card: Warburton (Wales - 18th min - tip tackle)

The teams:

Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Shane Williams, 10 James Hook, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Toby Faletau, 7 Sam Warburton (capt), 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Alun-Wyn Jones, 4 Luke Charteris, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Huw Bennett, 1 Gethin Jenkins.
Replacements: 16 Lloyd Burns, 17 Paul James, 18 Bradley Davies, 19 Ryan Jones, 20 Lloyd Williams, 21 Stephen Jones, 22 Scott Williams.

France: 15 Maxime Médard, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Aurélien Rougerie, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Alexis Palisson, 10 Morgan Parra, 9 Dimitri Yachvili, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Julien Bonnaire, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (capt), 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Pascal Papé, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Jean-Baptiste Poux.
Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Fabien Barcella, 18 Julien Pierre, 19 Fulgence Ouedraogo, 20 Francois Trinh-Duc, 21 Jean-Marc Doussain, 22 Cedric Heymans.

Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Wayne Barnes (England)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)

By Adam Kyriacou at Eden Park

The Independent Judicial Officer hearing the Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu misconduct case has upheld the charges against the Samoan back.

His Honour Judge Jeff Blackett (England) heard detailed evidence from the inside centre and his representatives regarding alleged breaches of the RWC 2011 Tournament Disciplinary Programme and the RWC/IRB Code of Conduct relating to Twitter comments made about Nigel Owens.

Having considered all the evidence, the Judicial Officer determined that the charges laid by Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL) in respect of misconduct by the player for adverse comments against Owens were upheld. All of the charges relating to breaches of the RWC/IRB Code of Conduct arising from such comments were also all upheld.

The Judicial Officer determined that the comments about referee Owens made by Fuimaono-Sapolu impugn his integrity and reputation both as a referee and as a man. The Judicial Officer recognised that the player might have been angry or emotional when making his initial comments, however it did not justify his offensive behaviour towards the referee.

Contrary to the player's submissions, the Judicial Officer determined that there was 'absolutely no evidence that the referee was biased in the sense that he deliberately favoured one side or the other. To suggest that Nigel Owens is racist against Samoans is also completely inappropriate.'

The Judicial Officer imposed a suspension from playing for six months, but suspended such sanction (for a period of two years) subject to compliance with the following conditions:

a) A full and unconditional apology to Nigel Owens and unconditional retraction of any criticism of him

b) A minimum of 100 hours Rugby community work in Samoa in support of the IRB High Performance Programme within the next 12 months and;

c) That the player attends and passes a recognised referee course within the next three months

If the player fails to comply with any of the above conditions or makes any public criticism which results in a proven misconduct offence regarding a match official, the IRB or the disciplinary process, the six month playing suspension will be activated immediately.

Fuimaono-Sapolu has a right of appeal within 36 hours of notification of the written decision.

Australia have suffered a major blow after full-back Kurtley Beale was ruled out of Sunday's World Cup semi-final with New Zealand in Auckland.

Beale has failed to recover from a hamstring strain and will be replaced in the number fifteen jersey by Adam Ashley-Cooper, with Anthony Faingaa coming in at outside centre and Waratahs back Rob Horne wearing jersey 22.

"Thanks everyone for their support. Unfortunately been ruled out (sic)," Beale tweeted on Saturday.

"I've got faith in the boys who have got the opportunity."

Australia (revised): 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 James O'Connor, 13 Anthony Faingaa, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Radike Samo, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 James Horwill (c), 4 Dan Vickerman, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Sekope Kepu.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 James Slipper, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Ben McCalman, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Berrick Barnes, 22 Rob Horne.

Date: Sunday, October 16
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 21.00 (08.00 GMT / 09.00 BST / 10.00 SAST)
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Romain Poite (France)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

The Fiji Rugby Union will make an announcement next week on the future of coach Sam Domoni after completing its investigation into their poor performances at the World Cup.

FRU board members have spent more than two days interviewing players and members of the extensive coaching and management team that accompanied Fiji to the tournament in New Zealand. Its first step will be to rule on the future of Domoni, whose contract ends after the RWC.

Local media has reported that Fiji's overseas-based players and foreign coaches are likely to bear much of the blame for the team's failure.

FijiVillage website reported that the investigation found the overseas-based players refused to listen to management, obey instructions or "give their heart for their nation." It said the Australians and New Zealanders involved with the team's coaching group "played a major role in the downfall of the team" by suppressing the flair which is part of their natural game.

All of Wales will be hoping centre Jamie Roberts can produce another midfield masterclass in Saturday's World Cup semi-final in Auckland.

The 24-year-old centre has regained the form that saw him crowned Man of the Series when playing superbly for the British and Irish Lions against South Africa two years ago.

Roberts, in his fourth year of a medical degree, has formed a deadly partnership Scarlets' Jonathan Davies and the pair have proven to be Wales's invaluable go-to men, capable of getting the side on the front foot, while making few defensive errors.

"Quite simply, he's the best centre in the tournament," was France coach Marc Lièvremont blunt assessment of Roberts.

France scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili echoes his coach's sentiments.

"He's their key player," said Yachvili.

"When the team is down, he takes the ball up to cross the gainline and put Wales on the front foot. You have to wrap him up quickly."

The player most likely to be charged with 'wrapping up' Roberts will be Clermont veteran Aurelien Rougerie.

"Jamie Roberts helps his team move forward every time he touches ball. The team rely on him to a great extent so he absolutely represents a challenge for us and me," Rougerie said.

"It's something we're going to need to be looking at in our preparation for this match."

Roberts, who has 38 Test caps, rated Wales's impressive 22-10 victory over Ireland in the quarter-final as "probably the best day of my career".

"This team is very close," he added.

"What we've been through the last few months, that's is why we are close together. It's a snowball now.

"It started with our first loss against South Africa in the pool stages. The way we played that day, I think it put us on a good path," he said of a 16-17 loss to the defending champions.

"We know there are two games to go. We'd love to win the semi-final. To be in the World Cup final would be very special."

Roberts pinpointed defence as key to Wales' progress to a first semi-final since the inaugural World Cup in 1987.

"Our defence was incredible against a very good Ireland team, a very experienced Ireland team, which won big games," the Cardiff Blues player said.

"Early in the second half, we conceded an early try, but the boys showed great reserve. The most pleasing is our defence. Our forward pack were immense and we kept the backline pretty quiet.

"There is a lot of belief in the camp. That's important. The hard work's been done and we just need to go out on the day and deliver."

But the centre warned that France would be no pushover after their 19-12 victory over England in the quarters, adding the youthful Wales team would have to choose when to throw the ball about.

"They will have been pleased with how they played against England. When you come up against France you come up against a very good team from one to 15," Roberts said.

"The nine and 10 (Yachvili and Morgan Parra) are very good thinkers. From nine to 15 their backline is a huge threat and it will be our biggest defensive effort yet.

"We don't want to take away any confidence from the boys, but we know it is knockout rugby now.

"We don't want to rein in our open rugby, but we know against France it takes one turnover and they can hurt you. So we will have to pick our moments to play rugby."

France captain Thierry Dusautoir is well aware of the danger that Wales skipper Sam Warburton will pose in Saturday's semi-final.

Warburton has been one of the standout performers at this year's World Cup and the 23-year-old has certainly caught Dusautoir's eye.

"He is a great player and has imposed himself to the international level in this tournament," said Dusautoir.

"He has been described as the Welsh (Heinrich) Brüssow or the Welsh (David ) Pocock. He is very dangerous," he added.

Dusautoir believes the last four clash at Eden Park in Auckland will differ remarkably from their semi-final loss to England in 2007.

He put that result down to the fact that the French side were not focussed after their shock quarter-final win over tournament favourites New Zealand.

"In 2007 we had beaten the best team in the world, the All Blacks, who had been undefeated in years and who were the big favourites," explained Dusautoir.

"This time we have beaten England, so it's a little different."

The Toulouse stalwart revealed that there was a positive vibe in the side since their 19-12 quarter-final win over the English but admitted it is often difficult for France to repeat a good performance.

"You can never tell whether after a good performance we will deliver another good one," he said. "This is the main difficulty."

Although he was confident that his side could reach the final, Dusautoir said they are not underestimating Wales.

"In my opinion Wales are better," he said.

"They finished first in the toughest pool of this Rugby World Cup. They lost to South Africa by just one point and they eliminated Ireland.

"In these games they have set good standards, while we haven't."

Meanwhile, coach Marc Lièvremont admitted that he was trying a different approach at motivating his side for Saturday's encounter.

Before the win over England, Lièvremont challenged his players about the possibility of failure after mixed results during the pool stages.

"This week I have not motivated them with the same elements (shame, frustration) as last week," said Lièvremont.

"We tried to make them take responsibility, both in terms of the game and of the mental preparation. A good match against England is not enough to satisfy us," he added.

Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny has praised coach Warren Gatland's talent-spotting ability ahead of Saturday's RWC semi-final against France.

The 22-year-old Halfpenny is one of eight players in under the age of 24 in Wales' starting XV for the clash at Eden Park in Auckland.

The Cardiff Blues stalwart reckons Gatland's keen eye for identifying young players and believing in them is a key factor in Wales' success.

"Warren spots talent, and once he sees that he believes in the player and brings him in," said Halfpenny.

"It has brought a new dimension to the team, and it is paying off.

"We have just gone about our business quietly and have always believed we could be serious contenders. We have strength in depth.

"I hope we are inspiring young kids. Young players have come into the side and played how they know they can. They have brought a freshness and given a real buzz to the atmosphere.

"I went from the (Wales) U20s to the Lions in one year. At the start of that season I was hoping to play for Cardiff RFC and maybe get a couple of chances for the (Cardiff) Blues. Suddenly, I was playing for Wales," he added.

Victory against France will book Wales a spot in next week's final against either New Zealand or Australia. If they achieve that goal they will exceed many observers' expectations.

Halfpenny believes that squad psychologist Andrew McCann should be given a lot of credit for his work with the players in the build-up to matches during the World Cup.

"I have worked closely with him, and there are different approaches," explained Halfpenny.

"There may be a switch-off session early in the week which can be helpful, and then when the game beckons I go through my roles and get them clear in my head.

"If I am nervous, it relaxes me. It is about being composed, and then we know we have to focus for the week after.

"We enjoy the victory and then get back to work the next day," he said.

Few would have expected Aaron Cruden to pull on the number ten jersey at this year's World Cup, but the fly-half is determined to make an impact.

Having been overlooked entirely for the All Blacks initial World Cup squad, injuries to Dan Carter and Colin Slade have seen the 22-year-old thrown in at the deep end - a position he is relishing.

"It's definitely the biggest game of my life and a huge challenge that I'm really looking forward to and I know all the boys are," said Cruden.

"Against Australia, it's always an epic battle and you chuck a semi-final into the mix and it's huge."

Cruden has only started one game previously for the All Blacks, a clash against Sunday's semi-final opponents, the Wallabies last September.

The game did not go well for the youngster and it served as his final performance for the national side before receiving his belated World Cup call-up.

However, Cruden is not concerned by past failings.

"I'd like to think (grown) quite a bit. Back then I was feeling nervous and put a lot of pressure on myself, but coming in this time the boys have really got behind me," he said.

"I will just go out there and be Aaron Cruden and express myself and play my natural game, that's something I'll be looking to do on Sunday."

Coach Graham Henry is confident that Cruden has what it takes to run the show against Australia.

"Last week he was skateboarding round Palmerston North, having a couple of beers and watching us play," said Henry.

"Now he's the top No.10 in the country. It's a big challenge.

"We did get the job last year in Sydney and in Cruden's case he's a year or so older and a lot more experienced and I think that's important.

"I think you learn from those experiences. That was probably his first big Test match and he's learnt from that experience.

"This is the biggest game he's ever played in and the biggest a lot of them have played in. I'm sure it's challenging, but he seems to be handling it well."

Wallaby coach Robbie Deans will give Kurtley Beale every opportunity to prove his fitness ahead of Sunday's semi-final against New Zealand.

The full-back suffered a minor hamstring tear last weekend against the Springboks and has been in a race against time to regain his fitness.

"He did a significant amount of running this morning and he was comfortable but, in his position, he's got to be good at top-end (speed) and repeated top end," said Deans.

"He'll have to go again tomorrow morning to first of all show he's had no ill-effects off the back of the work he did today.

"Then he'll have to go again and convince himself firstly and us secondly that he's good to go."

The 22-year-old has become an integral part of the Australian set-up and Deans is desperate to have his "spiritual presence" on Sunday.

"He is a great presence around the group, whether he's running or whether he's just providing voice," said Deans.

"He's part of this group and big part of the spiritual element of the group. He's very much a source of positivity.

"To have him there is better than not having him anywhere within the group.

"But he's obviously got a bit on his mind and he's working away on that."

Deans has stuck with the team that served him so well during the quarter-finals, but there is a change on the bench with Rob Simmons coming in for Nathan Sharpe as lock cover.

The selection denies Sharpe the opportunity to win his 100th Test cap.

"We make decisions that are the best for us," Deans said of the decision to leave Sharpe out of the squad.

"Emotion will definitely be a part of it but obviously in terms of sentiment, those sort of considerations don't come into it."

England skipper Lewis Moody and lock Courtney Lawes have both been fined for wearing branded mouthguards during the World Cup.

Moody's fine is believed to be £4,800 while Lawes will have to fork out £5,000.

The pair join Manu Tuilagi in an unwanted group of English players who contravened the tournament's strict advertising policies.

Tuilagi's brother, Alesana Tuilagi, who plays for Samoa was also fined for wearing a branded mouthguard.

All Blacks coach Graham Henry reveals his team have developed a quiet intensity in the build-up to their massive semi-final clash with Australia.

Strong favourites to take the title heading into the competition, the weight of expectation on the All Blacks is at near breaking point; will they fail to go all the way once again?

Wallaby flanker Rocky Elsom spoke earlier in the week of the pressure on the home nation who are expected not only to win Sunday's clash but also to claim the overall honours. While Elsom was undoubtedly playing mind games, his assertion is valued in that it is impossible for the All Blacks to escape the fact that anything less than claiming the Webb Ellis trophy will be a failure.

Under such a backdrop it is hardly surprising that Henry's men have gone into their shells a touch as they look to find full focus.

"I think there's a quiet focus there, a quiet determination," said Henry.

"The guys have been a bit quieter than normal, probably because it's such a huge game.

"It's probably the biggest game that these guys have played in ten years."

Skipper Richie McCaw has been selected for the clash despite having struggled with a foot injury for some time. But Henry asserts that McCaw's limited training over the past week is not a sign that he won't make the full eighty minutes but rather that he will be able to go the distance.

"He has trained very little and he'll train very little today," Henry said of his captain.

"The big thing is that he has to take to the track and he's got a niggling foot injury and the more we keep him off it, the more chance he's got of playing 80 minutes over the weekend, it's as simple as that.

"He's pretty upbeat and looking forward to the game, but he's frustrated by it obviously and he would like to be taking full part (in training), but you've got to make pragmatic decisions on that and he's doing that.

"Where some other people might push it and not play, he's not pushing it so he can play, so I think he's made a good decision."

Eleven of the All Black starting XV did duty against the Wallabies in the final game of this year's Tri-Nations where the Australians came out on top. Henry isn't too concerned by past form, however.

"As far as this rugby tournament is concerned it's a semi-final we need to win to win a cup and it so happens that it's against Australia," he said.

"We know them, they know us well, there's a lot of rivalry but I don't think it's any different to playing anyone else in the semi-final of a Rugby World Cup. You've just got to do the business."

It doesn't get much better than this! Nowhere on a rugby field is a match-up more fierce than between New Zealand and Australia, with the top-two ranked nations facing each other for a place in the World Cup final.

After a month of eventful rugby, it's down to the last four at Auckland's Eden Park with two compelling semi-finals on offer: tournament revelations Wales against the great enigmas France and another instalment in the long-standing All Blacks-Wallabies rivalry.

Ironically, the same semi-finalists that lined up at the inaugural World Cup in New Zealand will do so again this time out - albeit with a twist. But the big question on everyone's lips is whether we'll see a repeat of the 1987 final. For that to happen, New Zealand and France must prevail in their respective semi-finals.

Easier said than done.

The pressure is certainly on the host nation to produce the goods - not only have they failed to make it into a RWC final since 1995, the last time they lifted that little yellow cup (the Webb Ellis Cup) was 24 years ago.

Indeed, New Zealand have developed a jittery habit of bombing out of World Cups since their initial triumph on home soil all those years ago when 'Three Men and a Baby' was the top grossing film and 'Walk Like An Egyptian' by The Bangles spent the most time at the top of the US charts.

Twice they have been eliminated at the semi-final stage by Australia, in 1991 and 2003, and now face a monumental showdown with their trans-Tasman foes in one of the games of the tournament.

Only a month before this World Cup, the Wallabies downed the All Blacks 25-20 in Brisbane to claim their first Tri-Nations crown in a decade. Whilst losing to Australia always hurts Kiwis (in all sporting codes), defeat on Sunday would be catastrophic for the rugby-mad nation and the dreaded 'c' word will no doubt be doing the rounds in the morning papers.

Since 1903, the All Blacks have had the upper hand over the Wallabies. This weekend will be their 168th international meeting, with the All Blacks winning 115 times, the Wallabies 47 and five matches drawn. Now take all those stats and bin it, as past results always take a backseat when it comes to the Rugby World Cup - especially knockout matches like these.

Even Australia's inability to win at their bogey ground Eden Park for 25 years shouldn't be taken into account. What happened in the past, stays in the past - for now, it's all about what happens in the 80 minutes come kick-off on Sunday.

To get here, the backs-to-the-wall Wallabies somehow conjured a fighting 11-9 win to knock out defending champions South Africa, while New Zealand took an hour before subduing Argentina's resilient Pumas.

Australia will be buoyed by the way they hung on to edge out the Springboks in a match where South Africa were on top on the stats sheets but not on the scoreboard, and now get a second bite at the cherry after surviving last weekend's onslaught.

Like a cat with nine lives, some will argue if the Wallabies even deserve to be in the semi-finals after losing to Ireland in the pool stages and then winning a quarter-final they should have lost to South Africa. But will they care? Hell no. At the end of the day, they've managed to use their "get out of jail" card in this World Cup and achieve what 16 other teams couldn't - a place in the last four.

It doesn't matter how Australia got there, all that counts for them is that - despite ongoing injury concerns - they are still alive and kicking with an opportunity to make it to their fourth World Cup final where they will strive to win a record third title.

Unlike the Wallabies, New Zealand have gone through this World Cup unbeaten, but much like Australia, their campaign has been plagued by one injury crises after another that has almost overshadowed the All Blacks' performances over the last few weeks and is now beginning to take its toll on the top-ranked team.

Star fly-half Dan Carter is already out of the tournament, as is his understudy Colin Slade while centurion Mils Muliaina's World Cup is also over and a grey cloud still hangs over the head of captain Richie McCaw and that right foot of his that is fast reaching the same celebrity status that was bestowed upon David Beckham's prized asset.

Injury setbacks aside, whilst some may say that the All Blacks have had more of a challenge in their games leading up to the semi-finals compared to 2007 when they were found wanting by France in the quarters... I'm still unconvinced the hosts have been tested to the full this time round and are at risk once again of appearing like rabbits getting caught in headlights if things don't go their way against the Aussies.

Simple wins over Tonga, Japan and Canada were expected while their "toughest" opposition in pool play (an out-of-sorts French team) were brushed aside easily enough. Argentina proved to be a handful, but were never going to last the whole nine yards and whithered away as the clock wound down.

The All Blacks are yet to be tested mentally and physically over the entire 80 minutes, and could come unstuck against a Wallabies side who know all about soaking up the pressure as seen in last week's win over the Boks.

If there was any better time for the Wallabies to pounce, it's now.

An intriguing sub-plot will be the tactical jousting between All Blacks coach Graham Henry and the Wallabies' Kiwi coach Robbie Deans. Henry was in charge of the All Blacks at the last World Cup four years ago, but survived the cop at Deans' expense after NZ suffered their worst ever exit in the showpiece tournament.

It's a loss the New Zealand public won't let Henry forget - at least not until the All Blacks end their 24-year wait for a second World Cup crown.

Ones to watch:

For New Zealand: While the All Blacks undoubtedly miss Dan Carter's game management, the fact the rest of the team has taken on more responsibility will at least soothe some nerves. But the butterflies will be fluttering profusely in Aaron Cruden's stomach as he finds himself in the hot seat. After initially being left out the All Blacks' 30-man RWC squad, the 22-year-old has been promoted from third-choice fly-half to first-choice in the space of a week. Sunday's match will be only his second Test start, and the rugby world will be watching to see how Cruden can cope in the cauldron of a World Cup semi-final. No pressure then!

For Australia: Scrum-half Will Genia has proven to be a sharp thorn in the All Blacks' side of late and holds the key to the Wallabies unleashing something special in front of a capacity crowd in the Garden of Eden. With halfback partner Quade Cooper misfiring more often than not at this World Cup - where's Matt Giteau when you need him eh Robbie? - it will be up to Genia to try turn the screw on New Zealand. Arguably, the best number nine in the business, Genia reads the game well, has got super vision and chooses his time to attack well. He's the real mastermind of the Australian side and particularly their backline.

Head to head: There will be mouth-watering duels all over the park, but without question the breakdown battle between New Zealand's Richie McCaw and Australia's David Pocock will have everyone licking their lips in anticipation. They go by various names: fetchers, snafflers, pilferers. They're openside flankers and the Rugby World Cup will deliver one of its most compelling individual contests when the best in the world in that position face-off in this do-or-die spectacle. This master versus apprentice face-off has the ingredients of sports' greatest confrontations.

Recent Results:

France coach Marc Lièvremont has named utility Jean-Marc Doussain and flanker Fulgence Ouedraogo as his final two replacements on Saturday.

With scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili carrying a thigh injury into the semi-final clash, Lièvremont prefers to have Doussain on the bench as a back-up rather than switching Morgan Parra from fly-half back to scrum-half should Yachvili go off.

Number eight Louis Picamoles and centre David Marty drop out of the 22. Yachvili bruised his thigh in last weekend's quarter-final victory and resumed light training only on Wednesday. Lièvremont confirmed on Friday he will start against Wales and that Parra will be the kicker.

The 20-year-old Doussain has never played for France.

France (revised): 15 Maxime Médard, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Aurélien Rougerie, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Alexis Palisson, 10 Morgan Parra, 9 Dimitri Yachvili, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Julien Bonnaire, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (capt), 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Pascal Papé, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Jean-Baptiste Poux.
Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Fabien Barcella, 18 Julien Pierre, 19 Fulgence Ouedraogo, 20 Francois Trinh-Duc, 21 Jean-Marc Doussain, 22 Cedric Heymans.

A measly 80 minutes this Saturday is all that stands between Wales and France from being the first nation booked into the 2011 World Cup Final in Auckland.

Say what you will about them, the French are still standing despite what was looking like being an embarrassing effort for Marc Lievremont's outfit. And what a difference a week makes as talk of them having a slim chance of taking England is replaced by many using the phrase 'coin toss'.

I'm one of those as a strong pack combined with a dash of class wide out meets a Welsh team that doesn't seem to have many weaknesses at all.

Some may wonder how have Wales got this far.

Let us go back to Poland if we can for a moment where they spent a chunk of their pre-tournament training. According to one Polish journalist, the Welsh got through approximately six training sessions per day in Spala due to using their cryotheraphy facilities in order to recover faster. And like Leicester, who also adopted this venture during their successful period of a few years back, it seems to be paying dividends for their squad. Case in point, the noticeable change in physique of Adam Jones.

There is no doubt they deserve a place in the final too and will maybe count themselves grateful not to have beaten South Africa in their opening fixture, when the statistics showed them being on top. Such a trend was reversed this past week for the Boks though, but let's not re-open that can of worms. Back to my point with Wales in peak physical condition and are ultra confident because of that fact, led by a leader who will soon need no introduction.

Whispers during this week from their camp have hinted they will be adopting a much more contained style of play due to this being a RWC semi-final. Whether they are bluffing or not remains unclear but it seems strange to change what has been a successful mindset when few teams have been able to deal with it. France, despite edging England, are not firing on all cylinders by any means as lapses by Ben Foden and then three defenders going after Alexis Palisson instead of doing the defensive math was ultimately the difference at Eden Park. And wouldn't it be so typically French for them to under-perform at this key stage?

Speaking of which, the French do seem to be enjoying their current underdog tag and will have no qualms going into this one with many backing the Welsh. History begs to differ with the bookmakers mind you as they defeated Warren Gatland's side 28-9 only a few months ago in Paris while Lievremont's record against their rivals has a winning percentage of 75.

Coaches and players alike hate history though and one tends to side with them at such a stage as this is a different Welsh team than the one playing in March. We shall see if they can make some of their own history by making a first final. Then it really is heads or tails.

Ones to watch:

For Wales: Losing Rhys Priestland is a blow due to his calmness and seemingly endless time in possession (a hallmark of a good player) but the Welsh do not lose a lot in bringing James Hook back into the side. Their full-back or fly-half will demand of himself his best game in a Test shirt alongside Mike Phillips and if he can combine with Jamie Roberts while keeping his side in the right areas, then a World Cup final is a real possibility.

For France: He was immense last week and therefore Wales will know just how important it is to keep a lid on Imanol Harinordoquy at Eden Park. Having been left out by coach Marc Lievremont during patches of the Pools, the Biarritz number eight has now firmly cemented his spot back in blue. I was going to mention this in the next segment but what the heck, his battle with Welsh number eight Toby Faletau should be captivating from minute one.

Head-to-head: Two hard-nosed inside centres will go toe-to-toe this weekend as Jamie Roberts meets Maxime Mermoz. Much like he has done during the tournament, Roberts will look to get at a fly-half and Morgan Parra must seem like candy in a sweet shop to the Welshman. That is why ultimate professional Mermoz needs to help out by standing closer to his ten in defence while the back-row will in turn focus on stopping Roberts after the initial contact. Flankers Thierry Dusautoir and Sam Warburton's battle will also take the breath away. Warburton runs all day while Dusautoir gets through the tackles. Keep an eye on it.

Recent results:

2011: France on 28-9 at Stade de France
2010: France won 26-20 at Millennium Stadium
2009: France won 21-16 at Stade de France
2008: Wales won 29-12 at Millennium Stadium
2007: France won 34-7 at Millennium Stadium
2007: France won 32-21 at Stade de France
2006: France won 21-16 at Millennium Stadium
2005: Wales won 24-18 at Stade de France
2004: France won 29-22 at Millennium Stadium
2003: France won 33-5 at Stade de France
2002: France won 37-33 at Millennium Stadium
2001: Wales won 35-43 at Stade de France
2000: France won 36-3 at Millennium Stadium

Prediction: Head says Wales by about 5!

The teams:

Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Shane Williams, 10 James Hook, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Toby Faletau, 7 Sam Warburton (capt), 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Alun-Wyn Jones, 4 Luke Charteris, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Huw Bennett, 1 Gethin Jenkins.
Replacements: 16 Lloyd Burns, 17 Paul James, 18 Bradley Davies, 19 Ryan Jones, 20 Lloyd Williams, 21 Stephen Jones, 22 Scott Williams.

France: 15 Maxime Médard, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Aurélien Rougerie, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Alexis Palisson, 10 Morgan Parra, 9 Dimitri Yachvili, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Julien Bonnaire, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (capt), 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Pascal Papé, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Jean-Baptiste Poux.
Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Fabien Barcella, 18 Julien Pierre, 19 Louis Picamoles, 20 Francois Trinh-Duc, 21 David Marty, 22 Cedric Heymans.

Date: Sunday, October 16
Kick-off: 21:00 (20:00 GMT)
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Wayne Barnes (England)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)

By Adam Kyriacou in Auckland

Australia head coach Robbie Deans has named Kurtley Beale in his team to play New Zealand in their semi-final at Eden Park in Auckland on Sunday.

Deans has given influential full-back Beale, who is recovering from a strain in his left hamstring, the maximum time to recover. If Beale is unable to play, Adam Ashley-Cooper will move to full-back, Anthony Faingaa comes in at centre and Rob Horne will move to the replacements bench.

Beale strained his hamstring in the 11-9 quarter-final success over South Africa last Sunday.

In the only other change to that squad, lock Rob Simmons has been promoted to the reserves bench at veteran Nathan Sharpe's expense.

Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 James O'Connor, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Radike Samo, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 James Horwill (c), 4 Dan Vickerman, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Sekope Kepu.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 James Slipper, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Ben McCalman, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Berrick Barnes, 22 Anthony Faingaa.

Date: Sunday, October 16
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 21.00 (08.00 GMT / 09.00 BST / 10.00 SAST)
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Romain Poite (France)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

New Zealand fly-half Daniel Carter has had surgery to repair his left adductor longus tendon, it has been confirmed.

Carter had the surgery in Melbourne on Monday and flew back to Auckland on Wednesday.

The ten injured his groin at training on October 1, the day before the Pool game against Canada. He was withdrawn from the RWC squad following a scan which revealed an injury to the tendon.

Carter says the surgery "went well" and he will now be concentrating on his rehabilitation. The graduated rehabilitation programme will involve re-establishing normal walking and strengthening exercises, with a view to progressing onto running and kicking over an eight-week period. He hopes to be fully recovered by about the 12-week mark.

New Zealand have named Aaron Cruden at fly-half for Sunday's World Cup semi-final against Australia at Eden Park. Captain Richie McCaw is fit to play.

The starting XV features three changes to the team that beat Argentina 33-10 in last weekend's quarter-final: Cruden, who came off the bench last week, wears number ten in place of the injured Colin Slade; Israel Dagg comes in for the injured Mils Muliaina at full-back, and Richard Kahui comes onto the left wing, with Sonny Bill Williams moving to the bench.

Other changes on the bench see Andy Ellis get the back-up scrum-half spot, with Stephen Donald the covering fly-half.

"The team was very happy with the way they played in the quarter-final win over Argentina, said All Blacks Head Coach Graham Henry.

"It was a really intense battle and that's what we needed heading into this weekend's match. We have been building slowly this week to be ready for Sunday night when we know there will need to be a further lift in intensity and physicality. It's a semi-final in the Rugby World Cup and the team is excited by the challenge that lies ahead."

The All Blacks versus Australia is one of the oldest rugby rivalries in history - the teams have played each other 142 times with 96 wins to the All Blacks, 41 to Australia and five draws.

The teams have met twice at the Rugby World Cup, in the 1991 and 2003 semi-finals. The All Blacks have played Australia 22 times at Eden Park, with New Zealand victorious on 18 occasions, and Australia last winning there in 1986.

New Zealand: 15 Israel Dagg , 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Richard Kahui, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Piri Weepu , 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw(c), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Brad Thorn, 4 Samuel Whitelock, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements:16 Andrew Hore, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Ali Williams, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Andy Ellis, 21 Stephen Donald, 22 onny Bill Williams.

Date: Sunday, October 16
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 21.00 ( 08.00GMT / 09.00 BST / 10.00 SAST)
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Romain Poite (France)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

France number eight Imanol Harinordoquy has urged his team to learn from the mistakes of their 2007 World Cup semi-final defeat.

Les Bleus will play in their fifth successive semi-final against Wales on Saturday but will be looking to go one better than four years ago when, as hosts, they were knocked out by an unfancied England side.

Having eliminated England last week, Harinordoquy says the French must raise their game against Wales, who he rates as more dangerous than the English.

"Yes, [Wales are more dangerous] because we do not know what they are going to do," said the veteran loose forward.

"In the 2007 semi-final (against England in Paris) we relaxed too much and we thought we had won the game before we played it against a team that was not as experienced as we were.

"We have to be of better mind on Saturday. All my life I have wanted to play in a final of the World Cup - it is a dream.

"If we play the same as we did against England, it won't be enough to beat the Welsh. We have to be better in defence."

"The Wales players are agile and very skilful," added Harinordoquy.

"They have good footwork and their forwards are very brave as well.

"We can analyse their games from video, but once the game is on the field, that is where the problem starts.

"We will have to be able to face the challenge. Sometimes we will have to put up with their attacks. We cannot panic.

"If they play free, that is when they are the most dangerous."

France knocked out England to arrive in the semi-finals, while Wales accounted for Ireland, which was their fourth successive win after losing a tense World Cup opener to South Africa by one point.

The Russian Rugby Union (RRU) revealed on Thursday that the sport's newest World Cup competitor will bid to host the 2023 edition of the global showpiece.

The Bears made their rugby World Cup debut last month although went on to lose all four of their group matches, prompting the resignation of coach Nikolay Nerush.

But like in the USA, the game is growing in the world's largest country and Russia will host the Sevens World Cup in 2013.

"During our board meeting RRU president Vyacheslav Kopyev stated that Russia would lodge a formal bid to host the World Cup in 2023," the union said on its website.

"The Russian team had a respectable showing in New Zealand, scoring eight tries - a great achievement for the World Cup debutants. Still, we fell short of our main objective - we could not win against the United States.

"One of our objectives is to win the rugby sevens World Cup in 2013 and also compete in a (15-a-side) World Cup on a regular basis."

England will host the 2015 World Cup with Japan staging the 2019 event.

All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen has called on Craig Joubert to stick to the letter of the law when he takes charge of Sunday's semi-final.

Referees have increasingly come under the spotlight during the World Cup and generally for the wrong reasons.

Bryce Lawrence's handling of the quarter-final clash between South Africa and Australia led to wide spread condemnation of the Kiwi, including extreme suggestions that he should not be allowed to referee again.

Hansen admits that he is happy to have Joubert in charge of his side's final four game against Australia but has urged the South African to show consistency in his interpretations at the breakdown.

"Joubert's pretty good (refereeing the breakdown), but how he's going to do it on Sunday, we don't know," said Hansen.

"He's human and he'll make decisions based on what he thinks he's seeing and it's pretty clear what you're allowed to do, but you get variation every week, don't you?"

Wallaby flanker David Pocock put in a man of the match performance against the South Africans, and Hansen concedes that Lawrence probably let the openside get away with a bit too much.

"I would say that Bryce (Lawrence) is probably a little disappointed with how he did it last week," he said.

"I think Bryce was (a bit lenient). You're not allowed to go off your feet at the breakdown and you're not allowed to hang on to the ball after the ruck is formed and let it go."

Not surprisingly, Wallabies assistant coach David Nucifora saw Lawrence's showing a little differently.

"I thought the referee did a fine job, no problem from where we were sitting, I thought it was consistent for both teams," he said.

"I'm sure Steve (Hansen) has seen enough of number sevens (McCaw) pushing the boundaries, he knows how it works."

The Rugby Football Union will undertake to determine whether any of England's players breached their code of conduct at the World Cup.

Manu Tuilagi, James Haskell, Dylan Hartley, Chris Ashton and Mike Tindall all hit the headlines for the wrong reasons while in New Zealand, with England's off-field behaviour heavily criticised.

The RFU have already announced that their management structure will be reviewed, but the players too will not avoid being put under the microscope. Should any players have been found to have breached the code of conduct they could be fined or suspended.

"On Monday I spoke to Karena Vleck, the legal officer, and she will be investigating all the allegations of misconduct off the field and she will be dealing with those over the next two weeks," said RFU acting chief executive Martyn Thomas.

"She will deal with issues in relation to breach of the elite player squad agreement and indeed, in fact, in terms of the code of conduct we put in.

"The appropriate action will be taken against those players.

"Under the terms of the elite player squad agreement they can be fined in relation to their match fees, they can be fined or cautioned in relation to breaches of the player code of conduct.

"It is open to discussions with Rob Andrew and the England team manager that they would not be available to England going forward as a fairly significant sanction.

"All of those things are on the cards. There is a contract with the Rugby Football Union and that is a matter for Karena Vleck and Rob Andrew to determine."

Thomas added that he felt that some members of the squad had badly let down coach Martin Johnson.

"It has obviously not been a good World Cup by any standards for us, both on the field and off the field," asserted Thomas.

"I think it is fair to say we are unhappy with what happened on the field. England should deliver better than it has. The off-field performances have been wholly unacceptable.

"The team were together at Pennyhill Park for a considerable time before they left.

"Richard Smith QC was present, the RFU media department was present and the players were extensively counselled and coached on the implications of this tour and the conduct that was required of them was made clear to them.

"I don't believe any individual can put their hand up and say we didn't know what was going to happen. They were fully prepped."

France defence coach David Ellis predicts Wales will struggle to contain Les Bleus' traditional running game in Saturday's World Cup semi-final.

Wales have played with authority throughout the tournament and are unbeaten since their opening one-point loss to two-time champion South Africa in the pool stage.

The Welsh dominated Ireland in the quarter-finals, but Ellis thinks the threat posed by Ireland and the Springboks was more straightforward to contain than when the French backs are full of confidence.

"Wales have played teams who kick and are defence-orientated, so logically they have not been tested much," Ellis said.

"But we will test them, without doubt. Ireland do not score a lot of tries, South Africa do not score a lot of tries."

Ellis, who is English, said he thinks France have gained extra impetus by having to raise their game more than Wales has needed to.

France played poorly in the pool stage, even losing to Tonga, but turned a desperate situation around by beating England in the quarter-final. According to Ellis, there is much more still to come.

"The French have a hell of a lot more progress to make from how we played in the first four games to how we played against England, and we intend to step up another few steps," Ellis said.

"Obviously, when you beat England, which is something the French always like to do anyway, and you make the semi-finals of a World Cup, then things are getting better all the time."

France have won six of the last seven meetings against Wales, but Ellis still regards them as a tougher opponent than England.

"When we've won the Six Nations or a Grand Slam the most difficult game has always been Wales," he said

"They are on the crest of a wave. They played very well against South Africa and almost won the game. They've won all the other games, including a very tough one against Samoa, and they beat an in-form Irish team."

Both teams have clinical finishers. Shane Williams has 56 tries for Wales, while France winger Vincent Clerc has a tournament-leading six tries, and 11 overall in World Cups.

France conceded two second-half tries to England and their midfield were torn apart by New Zealand in a 37-17 defeat during the pool stage.

Coach Marc Lievremont has warned his midfield pair of Aurelien Rougerie and Maxime Mermoz to expect their toughest challenge yet from Welsh centre Jamie Roberts.

"We've played against him (Roberts) on numerous occasions, and he is a major threat," Ellis said.

"We just have to stop him from doing what he has been doing so far."

France know to watch Williams, too. The 34-year-old veteran's two World Cup tries in New Zealand so far were both crucial, settling a close match against Samoa and getting Wales off to a flying start against Ireland.

"You control him for the biggest part of the game, then all of a sudden he gets the ball, chips over the top and wins the game," Ellis said.

"He is dangerous even on his own tryline, so you just have to be on your mark all the time with him. The idea is you have to make sure he doesn't get the ball by dominating his team and putting them on the back foot."

Wallabies assistant coach David Nucifora admits that the titanic defensive effort his side put up against South Africa won't be enough to beat the All Blacks in their semi-final clash on Sunday.

The Australians have a reputation for being one of the best attacking sides in world rugby, but it was defence that saw them overcome the Springboks 11-9 last weekend.

However, up against a talented All Blacks outfit, Nucifora - and his players - know that the Wallabies have to fire on all cylinders in both aspects if they are to progress to the World Cup final.

"I don't think they took any reminding of the fact that this is going to go up a number of levels," he said.

"Obviously it was a great defensive effort and the work around the contact areas was very good.

"But, yeah, there were areas in our game - our attack and our line-out - a couple of things that needed to improve."

Nucifora rejects the idea that the game will be won or lost on the basis of who comes up trumps in the physical battle.

"It's certainly not just physical aggression that's going to win the game," he explained.

"You saw that last weekend in our match against the Springboks.

"There was a lot of skill and thought and you need to be accurate in what you're doing.

"People just biffing their bodies around won't necessarily give you the outcome you're looking for."

Kurtley Beale remains in doubt for the clash and Nucifora admits they are playing a waiting game with regards to the full-back.

"He's progressing," said Robbie Deans' number two.

"We don't really have a totally clear idea just yet on whether he's going to make it for Sunday.

"We'll look at him again tomorrow when we train and obviously we'll be a bit closer to making a decision whether he's going to be fit or not."

Australia rugby union great David Campese has slammed the standard of officiating at the World Cup, saying "the referees are there to ref, not for the world to watch the ref".

With New Zealand's Bryce Lawrence facing an online petition calling for him never to referee again after his controversial handling of Australia's 11-9 quarter-final win over defending champions South Africa last weekend, Campese said teams at the tournament were being forced to "play the referee".

"I think at some of the games, some of the skills have been very disappointing overall," Campese told the New Zealand Herald.

"It's a highly different game. The referees have a big influence on how you play."

This Sunday sees New Zealand play Australia in a World Cup semi-final, with one of the key confrontations set to be the battle of the opensides between All Black captain Richie McCaw and Wallaby flanker David Pocock.

Lawrence was widely criticised for letting Pocock do as he pleased at the breakdown against the Springboks and Campese said whoever came out best on Sunday would be down to the whistle-blower, in this case South Africa's Craig Joubert.

"It depends on who's the referee and who gets away with what," explained Campese, a member of Australia's 1991 World Cup-winning team.

"The whole World Cup, it's been interesting. There were so many forward passes that were let go and all the time no crackdowns - tackling with no shoulders, no arms, and it's all let go. You've just got to play the referee."

Campese added there was no consistency in the control of scrums and breakdowns.

"You saw some scrums right through the tournament that collapsed once and it's a penalty, and you saw other games where it's collapsed three or four times," he said.

"You've got to realise it's 800kg of men packing in. The thing is the referees have never packed in a scrum in their life - like me... so sometimes it's a lottery.

"That shouldn't be the case. The referees are there to ref, not for the world to watch the ref.

"If two countries play, then someone in the middle has got to control it, but the best referee is the one you don't know who's reffing."

Campese said rugby union's increasingly complicated rulebook was behind a slump in playing standards.

"The rules are more complex - the breakdown is a mess, where you have to have a look inside and you don't know what's going to happen."

Meanwhile Campese urged the Wallabies to "turn up and play" in a bid to end their Eden Park hoodoo this weekend.

Australia haven't won at the Auckland ground since 1986, when wing Campese scored a try in a 22-9 victory over New Zealand.

But while he said any visiting team would always have a tough match at Eden Park, all they had to was "turn up and play" to have a chance.

Campese, recalling the Wallaby class of 1986, said: "I think we just had a very good team."

Wales coach Warren Gatland believes that his squad's good behaviour at the World Cup has been overstated.

While many coaches are rushing to play down the unsavoury antics of their players, Gatland insists that his team are not necessarily a bunch of choir boys.

"I think we want to put a few things straight. There has been a lot made of us that we've been like monks," he said.

"There's been an alcohol ban ... that's completely untrue. There's been no alcohol ban in this squad.

Wales skipper Sam Warburton is teetotaler and Gatland revealed that many of the players had cut down on their alcohol consumption.

"Some of the stuff has been self-imposed by players," he said.

"A lot has been made that we're whiter than white. We definitely are not ... I'd just like to say we're no monks.

"There's been a sea-shift in terms of the professionalism (in the Welsh team).

"Being here we realise all the hard work that's gone in and these guys have known right from day one that we were in pretty good shape heading towards this World Cup.

"We thought if we looked after ourselves both on and off the field we could make an impact and I think we've done that."

With England besieged by controversy, France having had to play down reports of a rift in their squad and members of the All Blacks enjoying nights out on the town, the low key nature of the Welsh squad is certainly refreshing.

The International Rugby Board have confirmed that New Zealand broke no rules by allowing flanker Matt Todd to train with them.

The Canterbury man took part in Wednesday's training session causing an uproar in some quarters with Todd touted as an imminent replacement for skipper Richie McCaw who is struggling with the a foot injury.

IRB rules state that a player who is not part of the 30-man squad cannot train with the team until 48 hours after he has been called up as an injury replacement. The 48 hour rule is in place so that teams outside of New Zealand are not unfairly hindered by the time it would take for a replacement to arrive.

However, there are provisions that allow players to train against the squad and that is what Todd did.

"The rules are very clear for all participating teams," RWC's head of communications Dominic Rumbles told AAP.

"Opposed training sessions may be arranged, but any player drafted in as injury cover may not train on the same side with the team or attend team meetings or stay in the team hotel.

"This is the same as at previous Rugby World Cups."

All Black assistant coach Steve Hansen also looked to assure the media that the situation was completely above board and that McCaw would be fit to face Australia.

"Righto, I can guess what the first question is so I'm going to answer it for you," he told reporters on Thursday.

"Richie McCaw's foot is fine. Matt Todd is training with us, as you all know and have written about.

"Matt Todd is part of our wider training group and trained with us in Christchurch, as did other players down there.

"We've had wider-training group players come in for training at all the venues. You may have seen Robbie Fruean in Wellington, as well as Christchurch.

"Matt Todd is in Auckland and it just made common sense to have him here. Now that doesn't mean to say that Richie's foot is worse than it was, it doesn't mean that Richie is not playing on Sunday.

"It just means that Matt Todd was in Auckland and that we wanted to use him for training - as opposition.

"So hopefully that puts that away."

It has been suggested that Todd was taking on the role of Wallaby flanker David Pocock in training to allow the All Blacks an opportunity to train against a player in a similar mold to the one they will face on Sunday.

"He was being Matt Todd. Don't read too much into it," said Hansen.

"He's just at training. The poor bugger's just at training, you know, and that's it.

"We've got plenty of people we can turn into David Pocock. Just put a green bib on him and say: 'You're David Pocock'."

Centre sensation Jamie Roberts has revealed that Wales will lose little due to James Hook replacing the injured Rhys Priestland this coming Saturday.

Hook was on Thursday announced as starting fly-half for the Welsh due to the Scarlets playmaker being ruled out with an injured shoulder.

But with a wealth of experience at number ten in their squad in the shape of Stephen Jones and Hook, Roberts insisted Wales remain strong.

"James and Rhys have similar attributes. They kick pretty well and distribute pretty well. James is a huge running threat and so is Rhys and that is something that will be very important on Sunday," he explained at an Auckland press conference.

Playing against France promises to be a usual unpredictable occasion for Wales, particularly following the former's cold-and-hot form in the tournament. Thierry Dusautoir's men have lost to New Zealand and Tonga during the Pool stages but have since turned on the style with a much-improved effort against England.

"They will have been pleased with how they played against England. When you come up against France you come up against a very good team from one to 15," continued Roberts, who again starts alongside Jonathan Davies.

"The nine and 10 (Dimitri Yachvili and Morgan Parra) are very good thinkers. From nine to 15 their backline is a huge threat and it will be our biggest defensive effort yet."

Meanwhile, the British & Irish Lions inside centre revealed that Wales have this week had the difficult task of reducing their successful brand of flair for this stage in New Zealand.

"We don't want to take away any confidence from the boys, but we know it is knockout rugby now," he added.

"We don't want to rein in our open rugby, but we know against France it takes one turnover and they can hurt you. So we will have to pick our moments to play rugby."

By Adam Kyriacou in Auckland

Kicking coach Gonzalo Quesada said France will wait until the last minute before deciding on whether Dimitri Yachvili is fit for tee duty on Saturday.

The former Pumas star revealed the decision in Auckland after being probed about how the BO scrum-half was reacting to a leg problem.

"We will see. He has been recovering properly and his best training this week has been to recover, to look after his leg," said Quesada.

"We will wait until the last minute before we decide whether he will be kicking or not."

Yachvili has been avoiding kicking practice this week after feeling the strain following their victory over England in the quarter-final last week. Quesada revealed that rest will be vital to the number nine's cause ahead of going for goal against Six Nations rivals Wales.

"He kicked after being injured (in the quarter-final) and that aggravated his injury and that is why he has been relaxing," the Argentine added.

Should he fail to recover sufficiently to kick on Saturday, it is expected that half-back partner Morgan Parra will assume the pressured responsibility, something that doesn't bother him.

"I am the kicker for my club team (Clermont Auvergne). I am used to kicking," he said.

"We'll see how things go. But I did the kicking in the (pool) game against Canada."

By Adam Kyriacou in Auckland

Digby Ioane revealed he will 'dance all night' should the Wallabies overcome New Zealand in their 2011 World Cup semi-final at Eden Park on Sunday.

Reds wing Ioane made a name for himself in Super Rugby with his dancing moves after scoring but insists he will hold out in Auckland.

"I will dance if we win, after the game, I'll dance the whole night," he said.

Such is the magnitude of the fixture that Ioane believes that despite all of the pressure that comes with a semi-final, it will be a special day.

"This is a game to remember, win or lose, and you just want to do well for your country. So the pressure is on," he added.

Replacement hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau admitted that their progression past South Africa and into this stage of the competition didn't mean the Australians were the finished article.

"From our perspective, in order for us to get the job done, we just have to worry about what we have to focus on," he said.

"There's definitely some improvements (needed) from the game against South Africa, although we defended quite well. New Zealand are a different challenge so we just need to prepare accordingly."

Meanwhile the soon-to-be Toulouse scrum-half Luke Burgess hailed the rivalry between Australia and New Zealand, sighting it as something of a sibling duel over the years.

"We respect New Zealand immensely, they're a wonderful team and they always have been. Because of the close proximity of the countries, we're brothers in a way and there's always strong family rivalry," he added.

"It's a wonderful rivalry we do have. It gets the best out of both nations, I feel. It's very intense, it's certainly intense from our perspective and hopefully it is from theirs as well."

By Adam Kyriacou in Auckland

Wales fly-half Rhys Priestland has lost his battle to be fit for their World Cup semi-final against France in Auckland.

In the only change to the startting XV that defeated Ireland, Perpignan-bound James Hook replaces Priestland. The Scarlets playmaker injured his shoulder during Wales' impressive 22-10 quarter-final victory in Wellington last Saturday. He was not considered for selection this weekend and will now continue his rehabilitation over the next few days with a view to returning next week.

On the bench 102-times capped Scarlets fly-half Stephen Jones comes in for the promoted Hook, who himself brings 57 caps worth of experience.

"Time was against Rhys, but we are happy that we have the talent and ability elsewhere in the squad to cover him," said coach Warren Gatland.

"Rhys has done everything we have asked of him and more during this World Cup, but, when we have players of the calibre and experience of James Hook and Stephen Jones coming into the squad and starting line-up, there is no sense that Rhys's absence leaves us any weaker.

"We know that the people in Wales and the fans that have travelled here are excited about reaching the semi-finals of the world cup and we are too, but beating France on Saturday must be and will be our sole focus.

"The time to reflect and to celebrate will come if we win our next two matches, until that happens our focus on the task ahead must be absolute."

Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Shane Williams, 10 James Hook, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Toby Faletau, 7 Sam Warburton (capt), 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Alun-Wyn Jones, 4 Luke Charteris, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Huw Bennett, 1 Gethin Jenkins.
Replacements: 16 Lloyd Burns, 17 Paul James, 18 Bradley Davies, 19 Ryan Jones, 20 Lee Williams, 21 Stephen Jones, 22 Scott Williams.

Date: Sunday, October 16
Kick-off: 21:00 (20:00 GMT)
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Craig Joubert (SA)

Not for the first time during the World Cup, the Welsh Rugby Union have stated their desire to retain coach Warren Gatland.

The Kiwi coach's stocks have risen dramatically over the course of the competition, with Wales' impressive play leading many to suggest that Gatland may be the man to take over from Graham Henry at the All Blacks.

Four years ago Wales found themselves in vastly different situation, having failed to qualify for the quarter-finals, a situation that cost Gareth Jenkins his job.

"It all fell apart in Nantes, and I said immediately then that we had to stop and change," explained Welsh Rugby Union chief Roger Lewis.

"I got the backing of the (WRU) board to say we had to change, change radically and start searching around.

"When I met Warren, and people didn't believe me at the time, I knew virtually in the first part of our conversation. I realised he would fit with us.

"Warren ticked all the boxes from the rugby side, but most importantly I had identified what was required culturally.

"As soon as you met him, you realised 'he's one of us.' Welsh-New Zealand, blue collar, working class, straight talking, likes to have some fun but knows there is a line where you say 'stop now, it's work time.'

"We work, work, work, work, and then we will have a couple of beers. I just felt it talking to Warren that he got it. He was the only guy we made an offer to."

Gatland delivered a Six Nations title and Grand Slam during his first season in charge and with Wales in a World Cup semi-final he is on the verge of his - and the country's - greatest achievement.

"Everyone involved in Welsh rugby, from the grass-roots to the elite end, should feel so proud of what these boys have achieved. It is absolutely extraordinary," Lewis said of Wales' World Cup campaign.

"They have been great ambassadors for Wales and Welsh rugby. What they are doing on the field has been matched by how they conduct themselves off the field.

"They are an incredibly mature group of individuals. This is the new generation, not only for Welsh rugby, but for Wales.

"This is the culmination of years and years of hard work from lots of people. It has been a huge team effort.

"We wanted to reaffirm Wales' reputation and standing, both on and off the field."

With this in mind it comes as no surprise that Lewis and the WRU are looking to keep Gatland on under the terms of his "watertight" contract.

"Having worked in the music business for so long, when stars break and you sell millions of records and generate hundreds of millions of pounds, you have got to make sure you have got a contract there that is watertight," explained Lewis

"And we have got a watertight contract.

"Even if anyone wanted to come and have a conversation with us, and I am not suggesting this at all, it would cost them a heck of a lot of money."

According to many observers at the RWC, France coach Mark Lièvremont's biggest gamble has been playing scrum-half Morgan Parra at fly-half.

Parra will once again line up in the crucial pivot position in Saturday's semi-final against Wales at Eden Park in Auckland.

After making the controversial switch for the first time in France's pool match against tournament favourites New Zealand, Lièvremont has continued with his experiment and believes that his decision to play Parra there has been vindicated.

"From the moment I realised that François Trinh Duc wasn't at his best level and that he seemed to doubt himself, and that David Skrela was forced to withdraw due to injury, the choice of naming Morgan at 10 became obvious," said Lièvremont.

There has been talk that Parra would be targeted, because of his diminutive size but Lièvremont is not bothered by this.

"I heard all sorts of things at that time, " said Lièvremont. "What makes me laugh was that, if anything, it was from an attacking point of view that I could have had doubts.

"From the defence side of things, I never worried for Morgan. He is a great defender in the one-on-one contests, maybe better than François (Trinh Duc) whose qualities are rightly praised in that area.

"He is brave and never escapes from confrontations."

Parra , who weighs 80 kilograoms, has been compared to another lightweight former French fly-half Christophe Deylaud, who played for Les Bleus in the early to mid 1990s.

"Yes, there is a little of that in him," said Lièvremont.

"Like Christophe, all is happening up here," he explained, tapping his temple with a forefinger.

"He absorbs the game systems very quickly. He is always in demand for something, asks questions and wants to understand everything.

"It's a guy who, at 22, is already a coach at Fédérale 2 (French 4th division) level. And that is not a common thing," added Lièvremont.

Wallaby fly-half Quade Cooper has delved into the mind games ahead of Sunday's semi-final against New Zealand, saying the All Blacks are the ones under all the pressure.

The men from New Zealand have been favourites or near on favourites for every edition of the World Cup but have only won the competition once, at it's inaugural event in 1987.

To compound the All Blacks' woe, they have not made the final since 1995, producing one disappointing World Cup result after another.

Ranked number one in the world and on home soil, the All Blacks were overwhelming favourites heading in to this year's tournament.

However, while they are the only unbeaten team left in the tournament, the loss of star fly-half Dan Carter and concerns about skipper Richie McCaw's fitness have pushed them slightly onto the back foot.

Heading in to their clash on Sunday, Cooper is more than happy to remind the All Blacks that they are the team with the most to lose.

"They are supposed to have won this World Cup for the past three tournaments and this is no different," he said.

"A lot of pressure is on them to win this competition on home soil so I am sure they will be worried about how they are going.

"These are the moments you play rugby for, an opportunity to play against the best team in the world in their back yard in a World Cup semi-final."

Australia beat South Africa 11-9 to progress to the final four, despite having had to endure heavy pressure from the Springboks for most of the game. Cooper believes that a showing such as that one against John Smit's men with inspire the team to greater things.

"There is a lot on the line. The game at the weekend against South Africa shows the boys are up to it," he said.

"That wasn't the brightest performance but it just shows the character of the team to push through, not play your best game but still come away with the points.

"Having a good game will take second fiddle to winning the game."

Cooper came under heavy criticism for his error-strewn performance against the Springboks. With some calling for his head, the 23-year-old's team-mates are certainly behind him.

"As much as you (the media) beat up the issue around Quade, one thing that's been glaringly obvious is that Quade's focus is on the team and we've definitely benefited from that," said flank Rocky Elsom.

"We certainly value what he adds to our team and we're looking forward to him doing that for a long time to come."

Meanwhile, centre Anthony Fainga'a warned the All Blacks - who may look to target the fly-half - that: "[Cooper] never has two bad games in a row. Ever."

Although they have not been troubled yet, New Zealand are yet to play their best rugby at the World Cup.

That was the word from All Blacks utility back Sonny Bill Williams, who fired the warning shot ahead of Sunday's semi-final against trans-Tasman rivals Australia.

The All Blacks cruised through the pool stage and overcame Argentina 33-10 in the quarter-final to set up a clash with the Wallabies, who found themselves in this side of the draw after surprisingly losing to Ireland in their group.

"We haven't played our best footy yet," said Williams, who spent five years in Australia playing rugby league for the Canterbury Bulldogs, including winning the NRL grand final in 2004 at the age of 18.

Williams, who also won seven New Zealand rugby league caps before switching codes, has found himself playing in the unaccustomed position of wing as the All Blacks battle several injuries within their squad.

But the 26-year-old insisted he was enjoying the experience.

"I've surprised myself how well I've played on the wing," he said.

"Some people didn't think I could play rugby (union), I showed them that I can. I'm always a confident player and if I'm put out there (on the wing) I'll do the job as best I can, just do the little things and it all comes good.

"I'm doing all the little things right, I'm ticking all the boxes during the week and staying in the now, not looking back at the past or what's happened."

The World Cup, Williams argued, was the reason he moved from the Bulldogs to French Top 14 club Toulon in 2008 and then back to New Zealand last year.

"There is nothing better than this stage," he said.

"It's pretty much the whole reason why I came back here, to test myself against the best players, to try and make this team, this squad."

Now that full-back Mils Muliaina has been ruled out with injury, Israel Dagg will be favourite to take over the number 15 shirt against Australia, leaving coach Graham Henry with a real selection headache when it comes to Williams.

Henry rightly likes the proven midfield combination of Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith, likely leaving Williams to battle Richard Kahui and Cory Jane for a spot on the wing.

Alternatively, the All Blacks might think that pitching Williams in at wing against proven Wallaby finishers Digby Ioane and James O'Connor might be too much to ask, leaving the cross-code star kicking his heels on the bench.

"Competition is fierce within the team," Williams acknowledged. "But it's a good competition and it brings the best out of us.

"Hopefully, I'll get picked and I'm involved. If I am, that's great."

Australia flanker Rocky Elsom says New Zealand are under more pressure to win Sunday's World Cup semi-final than the Wallabies are.

Australia edged New Zealand in the semi-finals en route to their first World Cup title in 1991, won the tournament again in 1999 and also beat the All Blacks in the 2003 semis before losing the final in extra time to England.

The All Blacks haven't won the World Cup since hosting the inaugural tournament in 1987 - when rugby union was a decidedly amateur code. And they've had some losses to South Africa, France and Australia in previous attempts which have the New Zealand public openly wondering if there's some kind of curse on their team.

It's a mine of public apprehension that the Australians don't mind tapping into.

"Forget about us for a minute," said Elsom, replying to questions about the pressure on Australia to win at Eden Park on Sunday.

"They're the number one ranked team in the world and they're in a country where they expect them to win the World Cup - regardless of what happens, the public expects that.

"I can't speak for them, but you get a feeling around town (the public) won't tolerate anything less."

"This situation is, not only are they expected to win this match, but then the next one as well," Elsom added, for good measure.

"So, there is a a hell of a lot of expectation. Just what that does to them, I'm not sure. But you definitely know it's there."

Kiwi supporters tend to promote Australia's terrible record in New Zealand in the trans-Tasman rivalry, particularly at Eden Park where the Wallabies haven't won since 1986.

Elsom, who was stood down as Australian captain not long after the most recent loss at the Auckland ground in the Tri-Nations, dismisses the notion that there's any underlying concern or anything haunting about the venue.

"I didn't know there were any ghosts there," he said.

"Look, if we get a win up, we'll be fine with it. If we lose, we won't be happy. It's as simple as that."

James Horwill became Wallabies captain when the World Cup squad was selected, and his first test in charge was the Tri-Nations decider against the All Blacks at Brisbane in August - where Australia won the Tri-Nations title for the first time in a decade.

He can't see any bad omens about Eden Park, or recent form against New Zealand.

"It's a ground that's hosting the semi-final of the World Cup. It's going to be a big no matter where it's held," said Horwill.

"Whether it was held in a park just down the road - it's going to be a massive game. That's the way we're treating it."

Australia's record at Eden Park got slightly more scary for the Wallabies when they lost 15-6 to Ireland in the pool stage, setting them on a collision course with defending champions South Africa in the quarter-finals and the top-ranked All Blacks in the semis.

Topping the group would have put Australia into a knockout draw with the northern hemisphere countries instead of having the top-three ranked teams in the world on one side.

Two-time finalist France advanced to the other semifinal against Wales, which is into the last four at a World Cup for the first time in 24 years.

After a narrow 11-9 quarterfinal win over the Springboks, when the Australians surrendered the bulk of possession and territory and had to make three times as many tackles as the South Africans, Horwill thinks his team is ideally placed.

"We're in the semi-finals, playing with a chance to make the final," Horwill said.

"This tournament is about winning. We've made it to where we're one win away from the big game. We're happy with where we're at, because we're playing in the semifinals with a chance to make the final."

All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw is not a serious doubt for Sunday's semi-final despite Matt Todd training with the team.

Canterbury openside Todd trained with the All Blacks on Tuesday prompting fears that McCaw - who has been struggling with a foot injury - would be ruled out of the semi-final.

However, the All Blacks have played down such concerns, insisting that 23-year-old is not an imminent replacement for McCaw.

While International Rugby Board rules dictate that a player cannot officially join a squad unless he has been called up as a replacement, the regulations do state that players outside of the official 30-man party can play a limited role in training.

According to the All Blacks, Todd and members of the Blues Super Rugby squad all took part in Tuesday's run.

As was the case in the build-up to last weekend's quarter-final with Argentina, McCaw has taken a limited role in training this week. A similar situation occurred during the Super Rugby season, with the ace flanker constantly having his workload managed.

France wing Vincent Clerc has warned his team-mates not to be complacent when they play Wales in Saturday's RWC semi-final in Auckland.

After suffering defeats to New Zealand and Tonga during the pool stages, France reached the last four after a shock 19-12 quarter-final win over arch rivals England.

Wales are now the only obstacle in France's route to the final and although Les Bleus have beaten the Red Dragons in six of their past seven matches, Clerc reckons that previous results will have no bearing on what happens at the weekend.

"The Welsh team has had some great matches in this tournament," he said.

"We must not rest on our laurels. The Welsh team has been very strong, although they have weaknesses, and we are looking to target those weaknesses.

"They have some very strong players, very dynamic. They are a real class act - we love playing against them," added Clerc.

Clerc said the defeats suffered to England in the semi-finals of the 2003 and 2007 World Cups was being used as motivation by the current squad to reach this World Cup's final.

"There is a huge amount of pressure in the knockout games," he explained.

"We know what it is like to be knocked out, and it made it all the more disappointing that we were eliminated in France last time. People will understand how motivated I am.

"As a squad we are very motivated. We know this could be the end for us, so it is an important moment.

"We have been given an opportunity, and we need to make the most of it."

Wales fly-half James Hook remains hopeful of facing France in Saturday's World Cup semi-final at Eden Park in Auckland.

Regular pivot Rhys Priestland is a doubtful starter due to a shoulder injury suffered in last weekend's quarter-final win over Ireland, and Hook or veteran Stephen Jones are set to replace him.

Coach Warren Gatland will name his side on Thursday and Hook is excited that he could be in the starting XV.

"I would be there if needed and selected," he said.

"It was really difficult watching on Saturday, but you get caught in the emotion on the bench and get behind the boys.

"It was a terrific performance and it was nice to get on and have a couple of minutes to savour a little bit at the end.

"Rhys has taken his chance superbly, and he fully deserves the credit he has been having.

"The young players spur you on with the energy they bring in training and off the field. The older boys are feeding off that, which is good and healthy for the team," added Hook.

Hook, meanwhile, has played enough times against France to know Les Bleus will pose a significant challenge as Wales target a World Cup final appearance against Australia or New Zealand.

"France were great against England on Saturday," he added.

"They were clinical, took their chances well, kicked their goals and looked strong from the start. Everyone knows about French flair and their unpredictability.

"Every team builds momentum by winning, and we got confidence from putting 80 and 60 points on sides in our group.

"We have probably surprised ourselves a little bit, but surprised other people a lot more.

"It has been bubbling for a couple of years, and we have put in error-free performances that have got us the results.

"There is more excitement than nerves this week. No one in the squad has been in this position before.

"I suppose there will be a lot of nerves as we come closer to the game, but we have to go out there and enjoy it, savour the moment and keep doing what we have been doing.

"We have to try and relax and believe in our own ability, so that when the game comes round your instincts will take over."

Wallabies scrum-half Will Genia is "100 per cent confident" his team can upset New Zealand in Sunday's World Cup semi-finals.

The trans-Tasman rivals go head to head in, with 23-year-old Genia optimistic they can upset the hosts and reach a fourth World Cup final - despite the fact they haven't won a game at Eden Park since 1986.

"100 per cent confident," said Genia.

"I don't know if I could be more confident.

"I don't want to sound arrogant, I'm not that sort of bloke. I'm not cocky or arrogant, but I really believe in the guys that we have in this group that we can do it.

"We back each other all the way and we showed on the weekend that we can not only win through skill but also team spirit, wanting to do it for each other. For that fact alone, I have every confidence going into this game."

The backs-to-the-wall Wallabies somehow conjured a fighting 11-9 win to knock out defending champions South Africa in their quarter-final clash over the weekend.

Genia said he was proud of the way his teammates found a way to beat the Springboks in Wellington, despite having very little possession and having to defend for much of the game.

"I've never been part of a game like that and won, if you look at the stats alone, you'd think they beat us 50-0," he said.

"It was just won on guts and character and to be honest I'm just so proud to have been part of that performance, to have played that game and won."

Australia star David Pocock said claims he'd repeatedly 'cheated' at the breakdown in the RWC quarter-final, were standard accusations facing top openside flankers.

Pocock was acclaimed by Australia coach Robbie Deans for producing the best individual display of the World Cup as he inspired the Wallabies to a backs-to-the-wall 11-9 win over South Africa last weekend.

That set the stage for a compelling breakdown battle with New Zealand captain and warrior flanker Richie McCaw in Sunday's semi-final at Eden Park.

The powerfully-built Pocock laid claim to being the best number seven in the game with 26 tackles and helping to steal nine turnovers as Australia fed off crumbs to edge out the defending champions in Wellington.

Disgruntled South African fans have vented their fury at Kiwi referee Bryce Lawrence for allowing the Wallabies, and chiefly Pocock, for getting away with a free-for-all at the breakdown last weekend.

Pocock faced the media Wednesday ahead of the big game with the All Blacks and defended his match-winning role against the Springboks, who dominated with 76 per cent possession and spent a total of over 11 minutes in the Wallaby quarter.

"I have no idea. I really don't know. I will leave that to you guys (the media) to talk about," Pocock said.

"It's fairly standard in a game these days that number sevens cop a bit of heat from the opposition and that's for Richie McCaw as well.

"I think it's fairly standard (cheating claims) for most number sevens and it's been pretty funny this week in Twitter and seeing what the fans are saying, it's been in good humour."

Pocock, 23, said his job was to get to the rucks first and hustle for turnovers.

"You've got to try to get in as quick as you can and as an arriving player, if the ruck's not formed, you've got all the rights and you continue to have those rights as long as you don't put your hands on the ball," he said.

"That's the main focus and then listen to what the referee is saying."

Former All Blacks openside flanker Josh Kronfeld rates Pocock above McCaw as the world's premier seven but the Wallaby fetcher would not enter into the debate.

"I don't get involved in that kind of thing," Pocock said. "It's such a big game for the team and that's what I am focusing on at the moment.

"The All Blacks offer a different set of threats, they use a bit more footwork and their work at the breakdown across the board is a bit better (than South Africa) and more contested, so we have to step up from last week in the breakdown again.

"In the past it's been a big part of the winning teams as the way they've played they've dominated the breakdowns."

Deans and Australia captain James Horwill have repeatedly stressed the importance of Pocock's contribution to the side.

"He's clearly a huge influence in any game he plays in and we'd clearer be poorer for his absence," Deans said this week.

"The world is blessed with some very good snafflers at the moment and no doubt people will be looking forward to next week, to that end," he said of Pocock's looming duel with McCaw.

Horwill added: "Pocock is always influential whichever team he plays for, he's a guy who makes a difference on the ground to the whole team.

"We love to have him around and on the field."

Crusaders flank Matt Todd has been training with the All Blacks, igniting speculation that captain Richie McCaw could be in doubt for Sunday's World Cup semi-final against Australia.

McCaw has been troubled by an existing foot injury for most of the tournament, and only took part in a small amount of training with his team-mates in Auckland on Wednesday.

McCaw missed the pool matches against Japan and Canada because of injury, having also been troubled by a calf complaint.

Todd, despite not being an official member of New Zealand's World Cup squad, is reportedly on stand-by for McCaw should the All Blacks skipper pull out.

Todd impressed on the Super Rugby stage and made a number of appearances for the Crusaders when McCaw was sidelined with the foot injury.

The 23-year-old is regarded as an outstanding prospect in the number seven jersey and was considered unlucky to have been overlooked for selection when the All Blacks' World Cup squad was announced in August.

Wales are waiting on how fly-half Rhys Priestland's left shoulder recovers ahead of naming their team that will face France in their RWC semi-final.

Priestland went off three minutes from the end of their quarter-final victory against Ireland last Saturday at Wellington Regional Stadium.

He carried his left arm in a sling on Sunday and Monday, and so far it has failed to respond to treatment the Welsh medical team has tried.

Coach Warren Gatland will announce his team on Thursday, with Priestland the only player in doubt.

Lock Luke Charteris (shoulder), captain Sam Warburton (groin), centre Jamie Roberts (nose) were recovering well enough and expected to play on Saturday at Eden Park.

Priestland has enjoyed a stunning rise in the national team since making his debut against Scotland in February in the Six Nations. His poise and decision-making since moving from full-back to fly-half have so impressed the coaches that he was started at number in the quarter-final ahead of Stephen Jones, the record-holder for most appearances for Wales, and James Hook. Both were on standby for Priestland.

Hook also injured his shoulder against Samoa, and missed the Pool games against Namibia and Fiji. He and Jones have been taking extra kicking practice this week in preparation for Wales' shot at its first World Cup final.

Andrew Hore is hoping to right some wrongs when the All Blacks run out against Australia in their World Cup semi-final with Australia this week.

New Zealand lost 25-20 the last time they faced the Wallabies in the 2011 Tri-Nations finale, with hooker Hore grateful for the quick turnaround.

"Anyone that's been in New Zealand for the World Cup or lives here knows that the All Blacks are expected to win every game they go out and play so it's pretty disappointing when you let your country down and yourselves," he revealed about their defeat at Suncorp Stadium on August 27.

"I suppose the way we got beaten wasn't too good, either. It took a lot out of the forwards and dented a bit of pride.

"The good thing about professional sport is you don't have to wait too long to right the wrongs, so if we can do that on Sunday night it'll be a pretty good time."

Hore has been filling jersey number sixteen of late for the All Blacks as Keven Mealamu seems to have wrestled the hooking jersey from the ex-'Cane. It is unclear whether Graham Henry will continue that trend this coming weekend against the Wallabies, with Hore finding time to praise what he could be facing.

"They've come a long way. They scrum pretty well and they did pretty well against South Africa obviously," he added.

Meanwhile, forward Kieran Read revealed that he is not thinking about the possibility of a recurrence of his ankle injury despite an apparent conveyor belt of casualties in the camp.

"Injuries are going to happen but if you go out there on the field thinking about it or wondering what might happen, then inevitably it probably will. So you've just got to get it out of your mind and for me it's just about playing footy. When you cross the field you don't actually think about too much else than what you've got to do," he explained before assessing his own form since making his comeback from the World Cup sidelines.

"I think I'm getting there. I wouldn't say I'm the perfect specimen in my game at the moment. I think there's a lot of improvement to go but I think I can really turn it around this week."

By Adam Kyriacou in Auckland

France scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili says he is recovering well from a thigh injury and is "confident" of playing in their World Cup clash with Wales.

Yachvili was instrumental in les Bleus' quarter-final win against England, landing two early penalties to settle nerves and orchestrating the backline moves that pegged back England as France opened up a 16-0 first-half lead.

He did however limp off early in the second-half with deep bruising to his left thigh, and was replaced by fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc, with Morgan Parra switching back to scrum-half.

After sitting out training for the last three days, Yachvili says he "started running again" on Wednesday and "everything's coming along well."

Former Wales skipper Ryan Jones has heaped praise on current captain Sam Warburton, labelling him "inspirational".

Jones led the Welsh in 27 Tests before losing the captaincy twelve months ago following Wales' disappointing draw with Fiji.

Matthew Rees was the man who initially took over the reins from Jones, but with the Scarlets man ruled out of the World Cup, Warburton was handed the captaincy.

While Warburton may be just 23, Jones reveals he commands the respect of a veteran.

"Sam is a great kid who has done nothing but lead by example on and off the field," said Jones.

"He is inspirational in the way he conducts himself on the field, the manner in which he has been playing.

"And likewise, off the field. Age is just a number when you have got someone who commands that much respect. He's very receptive to ideas and having a chat.

"There is a role for players like myself, helping him with his role and making sure he's comfortable so it doesn't distract from the way he is playing and he is able to excel the way he has done."

While Jones will in all likelihood be forced to contend with a place on the bench when Wales face France in Saturday's first semi-final, he admits that after suffering an injury in the build up the tournament, he's happy just to be playing.

"It has been a hell of a six weeks for me," he said.

"Three weeks ago, I had my plane ticket booked and I was going home, but I am still here and I am still figuring.

"I am thoroughly enjoying it. Crikey, we are in the semi-final of a World Cup, and I am still trying to contribute and be as much a part of that as I can be."

Wales have proved to be one of the surprise packages of the tournament, but Jones insists that the success has not made them complacent.

"The focus for us this week is just about doing the same as we have been doing," explained the Ospreys man.

"You don't go into a week like this trying to reinvent the wheel.

"You need to try to keep the emotion out of it and allow people to go and play and do what they've been doing.

"There are no second chances. It is about putting yourself in a position to give you the best possible opportunity of winning the game."

France centre Aurélien Rougerie is well aware of the threat posed by Wales and in particular the combative Jamie Roberts.

Roberts has been one of Wales' top performers during the World Cup, with his strong running creating problems for many a defence.

France are next on the Welsh radar as the two teams prepare to do battle on Saturday in a semi-final clash and Rougerie knows it is going to be a titanic struggle.

"It's as though we're preparing for the World Cup final itself," said Rougerie.

Rougerie is particularly wary of Roberts and the impact the Cardiff man can make.

"He and the team move forward every time he touches the ball," he explained.

"The team relies on him to a great extent, so that also represents a challenge for us. It's something we're going to be needing to look at very carefully as part of our preparation."

But it's not only Roberts who has caught Rougerie's eye, with the 31-year-old admitting that he has been surprised with just how well Wales have performed.

"So far in this tournament the Welsh have been very impressive," he remarked. "They've shown a disconcerting fluidity,"

Having bounced back from a horror defeat at the hands of Tonga to beat England on Saturday, the Clermont man admits that the team are more relaxed but that they will not be lulled in to a false sense of security,

"I don't think the group is in a bad way, physically speaking. Psychologically, we had to beat a very strong England team, and that obviously plays a part now. I feel that we are relaxed - but not too relaxed, and we're looking to pull together and become as organised as possible for this match against Wales," he said.

Wales assistant coach Shaun Edwards warned that France should not be written off as a one-trick pony unable to string together two good World Cup games on the trot.

The French, who play Wales in a World Cup semi-final on Saturday, have been labelled as a team incapable of capitalising on an impressive result the following week.

France suffered two pool losses, to New Zealand and Tonga, before surprising England 19-12 in the quarter-final, turning the formbook on its head to be 16-0 up at half-time.

But France have rarely produced two good knockout World Cup wins in succession.

A stunning semi-final victory over Australia was followed by defeat by New Zealand in the 1987 final, while two brilliant wins over the All Blacks, in 1999 and 2007, were the forerunners of losses to Australia and England in the final and semi-final respectively of those World Cups.

But Edwards insisted France had it in them to produce another good performance.

"If you look at France over the last few Six Nations tournaments, they have won it the most, so that shows they can consistently perform over five games," said the former Great Britain rugby league star.

"It is in the France team to be consistent."

Edwards also played down the reputed unpredictability of the French team, saying rugby union was increasingly more structured.

"There is more structure in world rugby and it is in their game along with everybody else's," he said.

"Most teams play with set patterns, and I am sure their attacking coach will add different variations of certain formations and it will be up to me to second-guess what he is thinking."

Edwards has masterminded a miserly Welsh defence that has yielded just three tries in the competition so far, including an interception try in a walloping of Namibia, and said the goal would be to continue that trend this weekend.

"What we've tried to do throughout the competition is improve in every game and this game will be no different," he said.

"We'll have to be more accurate and up the intensity because it's the semi-final," he added of a Wales team into the last four of a World Cup for the first time since the inaugural 1987 edition.

"First and foremost we have to make sure that if France get points against us they have to work for them," he said, citing a couple of charge-downs in recent games that led to French tries.

"We don't want to hurt ourselves."

Edwards put the resurgence of the Wales team down to hard graft.

"They've come together and in quite a short amount of time they've improved rapidly," he said.

"It's not an accident that they've improved. It's been down to hard work, strength of character, no little skill. Obviously a lot of work on the paddock, in the gym, on the running track. There's no substitute for hard work."

He also said the youthful nature of the team captained by 23-year-old flanker Sam Warburton meant it had no 'fear factor'.

"They do not have any past defeats and they don't bring any doubts in the head (about) where we lost to them two or three years ago," he said.

"We are on the big stage now and that is where we want to be."

Australia coach Robbie Deans backed mercurial Wallabies' playmaker Quade Cooper to be at his best in this weekend's all-or-nothing World Cup semi-final with the All Blacks.

Cooper, richly talented but given to overplaying his hand in attack, was in erratic form as Australia clung on to edge out defending champions South Africa 11-9 in their epic quarter-final in Wellington on Sunday.

New Zealand-born Cooper, under intense scrutiny for his run-ins with All Blacks captain Richie McCaw and routinely booed by locals each time he touches the ball, did not react well to the relentless Springbok pressure.

The 23-year-old fly-half's turnover rate, four against the Boks and 16 during the tournament, and a tendency to slice tactical kicks in pressure situations left the Australians camped deep in their own half for much of the match.

Cooper's attacking flair was nullified by South Africa and his flawed defensive technique led to a series of missed tackles, one of which led to a Springbok 'try', disallowed by referee Bryce Lawrence.

But Deans supported his maverick playmaker ahead of what is shaping as a massive pressure match this coming Sunday before a capacity New Zealand crowd at Eden Park, where the Wallabies have not won for 25 years.

"No, we're confident, he'll be fine, he'll bounce back, he's a resilient character," said Deans, when asked if he was concerned by Cooper's form.

"Clearly he wouldn't be happy with his performance (against the Springboks) but everybody made mistakes, some of our best made mistakes, but collectively they worked their way through," the former All Black added.

Deans has built his team's attack around the freakish ball skills of the Reds' pivot and was in no doubt about his mental toughness.

"Quade's a pretty resilient character and he's delighted as we all are that we got through that challenge, and he was part of that and he did some good things within that, he was a point of difference on occasions," he said.

"So it's really important, you get high-profile players and they get an inordinate amount of scrutiny and they get an inordinate amount of reinforcement when things go well and that can create challenges for them when things don't go quite so well.

"If it isn't what they hoped it would be, it can bring mental baggage, but I think Quade has come a long way in terms of his understanding that it's a team game and it's about helping the team to get up and he did that.

"He deserves his piece of enjoyment off the back of that and it's a great risk for players that they actually miss a lot of what the game is all about when they get distracted by the little piece within it."

With so much at stake and a place in the October 23 final, New Zealand coach Graham Henry said he expected both teams to adopt a more conservative approach this weekend.

"I think the nature of rugby changes a wee bit in finals' football when the result is you can 'die' if you lose and that probably makes both sides a wee bit more conservative in the game they play," Henry said.

"So they don't chance their arm as much as they normally would do."

The Boks were on the front and back pages of South African newspapers on Monday and it was not a pretty sight after the death of a World Cup dream.

Large, sad, close-up pictures of captain John Smit and coach Peter de Villiers dominated the front of the Johannesburg Star, the same pair also took a lot of page-one space in The Times and Business Day had De Villiers alone and seemingly lost as he crossed the Wellington pitch.

As De Villiers accepted that his often controversial four-year reign was over and Smit confirmed that the sun had set on his long, mostly successful Test career, newspapers laid the blame for a 11-9 quarter-final loss to Australia Sunday on a failure to take chances and referee Bryce Lawrence.

The Star found New Zealand-born referee Lawrence "criminally negligent" for allowing Wallabies flank David Pocock "to wrestle on the ground in flagrant disregard of the law that states you must stay on your feet at ruck time".

The writer could barely contain his anger, telling Lawrence a visit to an optician was overdue, as he tried to explain why the breakdown became "madness" with the referee failing to spot repeated infringements.

"It was the Springboks turn yesterday (Sunday) to discover that in sport fate can indeed be a fickle mistress. The Boks were all over the Aussies like a rash ... they dominated territory and had an advantage in possession.

"Victor Matfield imperiously destroyed the Aussie line-out, poaching six throws. The Wallabies had to make three times more tackles than the Boks yet somehow forced the Boks into butchering half a dozen try-scoring opportunities while making the most of rare forays."

But the article also saw hope of the horizon in the slender shape of full-back Patrick Lambie, the youngster who looks set for a long stay in a Springbok team sure to be radically different when they next play in mid-2012 at home to fellow quarter-finals losers England.

"He was brilliant in everything he did from the back. He hit the line at pace, fielded the high ball with assurance and made telling tackles," the Star said of a 20-year-old who can operate at full-back, centre or fly-half.

The Times summarised the tenure of De Villiers, the first black Springboks coach, as a "rollercoaster ride ... sometimes misunderstood, often lost in translation, all too frequently pouring metaphors into the mixer.

"When it came to coaching, the input of others usurped his own. He also tried to achieve the impossible - winning consecutive (Rugby World Cup) titles with the spine of the team that won four years ago."

Hooker Smit, sporting battle scars on both sides of his face, only had kind words for De Villiers, the subject of much media criticism at home and abroad during a reign highlighted by a Test series success over the British and Irish Lions and a Tri-Nations title two seasons ago.

"He is not the usual coach that any of us were used to, but we thoroughly enjoyed him over the years. He has given us freedom and space, but he also tightened things up when we took advantage of that," Smit admitted to Business Day.

Wales wing cum full-back Leigh Halfpenny has demanded a repeat performance from his team when they tackle France in Saturday's Rugby World Cup semi-final.

A fierce defense, a clinical running game and total fearlessness took Wales to a 22-10 quarter-final win over Ireland and a meeting with the French in Auckland this weekend.

Wales have already ensured their best World Cup campaign since the inaugural tournament 24 years ago after a pulsating last-eight victory over Ireland.

And now only Les Bleus stand between them and a place in the Eden Park final, where New Zealand or Australia will await on October 23.

"We can't afford to go into our shells," said Halfpenny.

"We have to go out and express ourselves. If we don't do that, we will lose before we even take the field, so that is not an option.

"We are a team that plays rugby and we try to make the right decisions on the ball."

Halfpenny was one of the star performers against Ireland, shining in attack and defence, and it would be a major surprise if he is not retained in his favourite position when Wales tackle France.

"I said before the (Ireland) game that to start at full-back for my country in a World Cup quarter-final was a dream come true," he added.

"The game itself was incredible. I just concentrated on my performance and tried to make sure I did all my roles as best I could.

"I thoroughly enjoyed it at full-back, I just love being there. It was an absolute pleasure to be stood behind the team that was in front of me.

"Putting on the Wales jersey is everything to me, wherever that is. I am a back-three player."

Wales have only beaten France once in the countries' last seven meetings - during the 2008 Six Nations Grand Slam season - but such is their sense of belief it is a statistic that appears largely irrelevant.

"We've said all along that we are not here just to make up the numbers," Halfpenny said.

"We want to seriously win.

"All the hard work we have put in is paying off, and we are not satisfied with reaching the semi-finals.

"We will enjoy it because as a group we haven't been here before, and who knows if we will be here again, but there is still plenty to come.

"There is a feeling we can go the whole way, and we are determined to do that.

"We are a rugby nation and we've had tremendous support from all the fans who have come out here.

"They've been here throughout the tournament for us, and we can't thank them enough. I am sure it means a lot back home."

Recalled fly-half Stephen Donald says he is fit enough to play 79 minutes if required despite his month off from rugby ahead of taking on Australia.

The former Chiefs pivot, who joined the squad this week as a replacement for Colin Slade, was in super spirits at Tuesday's press conference, saying he is fully recharged to make an impact.

"I've had a good month off and like everyone else have enjoyed watching the World Cup. Obviously I watched it thinking, 'Jeez, I'd love to be a part of it' and now that opportunity potentially is here," he said before running through his call-up play by play," said the 27-year-old Donald.

"I was down the Waikato River whitebaiting.

"I think Ted (Graham Henry) had missed me a couple of times and then I finally got a call from Milsy (Mils Muliaina) and he said, 'Start answering your phone, you idiot', so that was sort of the message I needed."

Assistant coach Wayne Smith hinted that should either Donald or Aaron Cruden go down injured in the next week, there is no one nailed down as back-up. However Donald revealed that despite missing out on the initial RWC 30, he never gave up hope during his time off.

"You're always hopeful and I was keeping fit and just waiting. My chance has come now so that's all I'm worried about," he added.

"I've had a good break, a good month away and have just been enjoying watching the World Cup. Now I've been given a crack and an opportunity here which I'm extremely excited about being a part of.

"Fitness-wise I'm pretty confident. Very confident."

Meanwhile, returning All Black winger Hosea Gear revealed that he had real sympathy for injured veteran Mils Muliaina upon hearing of his call-up to the Rugby World Cup party.

"It's quite overwhelming, but I think the first thing that came to mind was the pain that Milsy was feeling. Obviously having your dream and everything taken away from you, I've felt that and that's what I felt straight away," another one of the Hurricanes contingent explained.

"I guess now being back in the frame I'm just really looking forward to the opportunity.

"Just coming in this morning, seeing the smiles on the guys faces and the excitement, I felt it as soon as I walked into the hotel. It just makes it more exciting for myself."

By Adam Kyriacou in Auckland

New Zealand assistant coach Wayne Smith highlighted inner desire as a vital part of winning knockout games at this stage of the Rugby World Cup.

Smith was speaking on Tuesday ahead of the All Blacks' semi-final against Australia and gave an honest assessment of the challenge ahead.

"Any time you get to this stage in any tournament, whether it be Super Rugby, Premiership, Heineken Cup, World Cup, it's about will. It's about the strength of your will," he explained.

"Tournaments throw up all sorts of things at you - injuries, selection - and you can't control any of that and it's the same for the other team.

"It's not who you've got in the team, it's what you've got inside you that counts at this point and that's what'll win it."

Australia made close to three times as many tackles as South Africa in their quarter-final but managed to hold on for a narrow victory. Many subsequently feel Graham Henry's side have enough in the tank to easily see off the Wallabies, something Smith refused to accept.

"I don't think you can make any assumptions about them. You know we've got huge respect for them, I'm sure they've got great respect for us. We've played each other often over the last few years. We know them well, they know us well. We know it's going to be a massive encounter," he added.

"As with any team, you have some expectations about what's going to happen and how they're going to play but when you enter the field you can't believe that, you've just got to see what's in front of you."

Smith continued by backing out-of-form Wallaby fly-half Quade Cooper to turn around his recent run of bad performances, sighting class being permanent with a player of his skills.

"I can only talk about experiences that we've had with them and he's played pretty well against us. He's mercurial, he's dangerous, if he has a real good day you're in trouble so we've got a lot of respect for him," the 54-year-old Smith added.

"Quality players come right pretty quickly."

By Adam Kyriacou in Auckland

France have named an unchanged starting line-up ahead of their World Cup semi-final clash with Wales at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday.

Marc Lièvremont announced his team on Tuesday, sticking with the same XV and bench which beat England 19-12 in the quarter-finals.

France have won six of the last seven meetings between the two nations, but Wales have been the form side at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

France have already played twice at Eden Park during the tournament, losing to New Zealand in the pool stage and beating England in the last-eight round. Wales have yet to play at the venue.

The 687 caps among France's starting XV is their most since the RWC 2007 semi-final defeat to England and their fourth most capped ever.

At an average age of 29 years and 305 days, this is France's second-oldest RWC line-up. Only the team that faced Argentina in the pool phase of RWC 2007 was older at 30 years and 288 days.

Eleven of the line-up played in les Bleus' last match against Wales, a 28-9 win in this year's Six Nations. Ten of the 11 started that match. The four players who did not play in March are prop Jean-Baptiste Poux, scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili and centres Maxime Mermoz and Aurélien Rougerie.

Imanol Harinordoquy becomes the fifth France player to play in three RWC semi-finals and the ninth player from all teams. He is the only player left at RWC 2011 to have played in two previous World Cup semi-finals.

Vincent Clerc's six tries at RWC 2011 is equal-most with England's Chris Ashton. His record of 11 RWC tries is third to New Zealand duo Jonah Lomu (15) and Doug Howlett (13).

France: 15 Maxime Médard, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Aurélien Rougerie, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Alexis Palisson, 10 Morgan Parra, 9 Dimitri Yachvili, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Julien Bonnaire, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (capt), 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Pascal Papé, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Jean-Baptiste Poux.
Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Fabien Barcella, 18 Julien Pierre, 19 Louis Picamoles, 20 Francois Trinh-Duc, 21 David Marty, 22 Cedric Heymans.

Date: Sunday, October 16
Kick-off: 21:00 (20:00 GMT)
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Craig Joubert (SA)

Peter de Villiers will remain at the helm of the Springboks until the end of year despite his suggestions that he would step away from the role following South Africa's premature exit from the World Cup.

De Villiers told the press that his "journey (with the Springboks was) over" in the wake of Sunday's quarter-final defeat to Australia in Wellington.

But at a press conference at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg where the team were greeted by several thousand fans, the coach clarified the situation.

"I never resigned. I just said it was the end of the road for me. There is one logical thing and it is that I had a four-year contract and the day I signed that contract four years back I knew this day would come," said an emotional De Villiers.

"So, it will be stupid of me not to live-and-die by the contract... ending in two months' time at the end of December.

"I was forced into it by players because a few of them came to me and asked about their futures, but I could not give them answers, because I did not know what mine was.

"Because I could not tell them, it made me feel as if I was not in control. I was the only coach in the tournament who never knew about his future. But the writing is on the wall, I will read it and move on.

Skipper John Smit and vice-captain Victor Matfield - who have both announced their respective retirements from Test rugby - insisted they had no regrets.

"We did set some goals which we did not achieve and we've had to put on some brave faces - it's been an emotional two days. But I don't want to let this loss be a reflection of the last ten-eleven years. It's been a wonderful ride and I have no regrets," said Smit.

"We did everything we could. There's no thoughts of 'if we had done that little thing differently we could have won the World Cup'. We never gave up," added Matfield.

Smit said that despite a number of senior players moving on, the Springboks would still be a force in world rugby.

"I really believe in the guys in the ranks, they've been able to learn as much as possible from us guys who are leaving, even if it's just seeing how we react in certain situations," said the departing captain.

"You've got to be excited about the Springbok team that will play next year, there will just be a couple of guys missing, the core will still be there. It's a dream place to be for a Springbok fan," Smit said.

Smit cheekily suggested he would never have to deal with referee Bryce Lawrence - who has been blamed by some Bok fans for their loss - again.

"Bryce is not difficult to communicate with, he just doesn't seem to listen very well. The one positive is that I won't ever have to be reffed by him again," quipped Smit.

Springbok skipper John Smit was diplomatic as ever after Sunday's World Cup quarter-final loss to Australia but revealed his disappointment with referee Bryce Lawrence's breakdown interpretations.

South African fans were up in arms after the defending champions were sent home following a game in which they dominated both territory and possession.

A number of turnovers at crucial times proved to be the Springboks' undoing but Lawrence turned a deaf ear to Smit's complaints about Aussie hands in the ruck.

"It was the only talking in the game between myself and the ref," said Smit.

"The message I was trying to get through wasn't being listened to.

"(Pocock must have been) brilliant, which obviously under Bryce's interpretation he was. We had plenty of possession so he had lots of chances to slow it down and he did his best.

"When we decided to be brave and keep the ball, normally you get rewarded as the attacking team, but it wasn't that.

"It's the first time I've ever lost a game only on the scoreboard and won it everywhere else from a stats point of view.

"That makes it harder to accept. That's just the game, those things can happen but it's a first for me."

France are the biggest movers in the latest IRB World Rankings while Wales are now the leading northern hemisphere side.

Three of the four Rugby World Cup 2011 semi-finalists are on the rise as Australia, Wales and France all benefitted from victories over higher-ranked opponents at the weekend.

France rise three places to fifth after beating England 19-12 at Eden Park on Saturday to gain some revenge for semi-final losses to the English at the two previous World Cups.

The climb sees Les Bleus regain the three places they lost after their shock loss to Tonga the previous weekend and means they now sit directly above England, who lose their mantle as the highest-ranked northern hemisphere nation after a two-place fall to sixth.

Wales now hold that tag after rising two places to fourth on the back of an impressive 22-10 beating of Ireland to reach their first RWC semi-final since the inaugural tournament, also on New Zealand soil, in 1987.

The Welsh, who last occupied fourth briefly in early 2009, could have broken into the top three for the first time since the rankings were introduced in October 2003, had their margin of victory been slightly greater or South Africa lost by more points to Australia in Sunday's first quarter-final.

The Wallabies' hard-fought 11-9 victory at the Wellington Regional Stadium sees them swap places with the Springboks to return to the second spot they occupied before RWC 2011. South Africa preserve the southern hemisphere top three, but are now just over a point above Wales.

Ireland, like England, have slipped two places in the rankings to seventh after losing to Wales in Wellington on Saturday. Had the margin been more than 15 points it could have been worse for the two northern hemisphere sides with another place lost to Argentina.

New Zealand's advantage at the top of the rankings has been reduced slightly to 3.42 points as a result of Australia's win, while Argentina have slipped one place to eighth after France's win over England.

IRB World Rankings

1(1) New zealand 90.62
2(3) Australia 87.21
3(2) South Africa 84.34
4(6) Wales 83.21
5(8) France 82.68
6(4) England 81.58
7(5) Ireland 80.65
8(7) Argentina 80.28
9(9) Tonga 76.63
10(10) Scotland 76.20
11(11) Samoa 75.81
12(12) Italy73.99
13(13) Canada 72.92
14(14) Georgia 71.09
15(15) Japan 70.45
16(16) Fiji 68.78
17(17) USA 65.63
18(18) Romania 63.98
19(19) Namibia 61.24
20(20) Portugal 60.67

With thanks to the IRB

Wales are confident that fly-half Rhys Priestland and lock Luke Charteris will recover from their respective shoulder injuries in time for Saturday's World Cup semi-final against France.

Wales are bidding to reach their first World Cup Final and are anxious over the knocks suffered during the quarter-final victory over Ireland in Wellington.

Charteris did not return to the field following the half-time break after delivering an outstanding performance, while Priestland departed in the closing minutes of the hard-fought battle.

"It is pretty sore, but it should be good to go," said Dragons second row Charteris at the squad's Auckland base.

Wales skills coach Neil Jenkins added that they expected Priestland to be fit to start.

"On Rhys, we are waiting to see what happens the next couple of days and hopefully he will be fine," said Jenkins.

Wales are confident that fly-half Rhys Priestland and lock Luke Charteris will recover from their respective shoulder injuries in time for Saturday's World Cup semi-final against France.

Wales are bidding to reach their first World Cup Final and are anxious over the knocks suffered during the quarter-final victory over Ireland in Wellington.

Charteris did not return to the field following the half-time break after delivering an outstanding performance, while Priestland departed in the closing minutes of the hard-fought battle.

"It is pretty sore, but it should be good to go," said Dragons second row Charteris at the squad's Auckland base.

Wales skills coach Neil Jenkins added that they expected Priestland to be fit to start.

"On Rhys, we are waiting to see what happens the next couple of days and hopefully he will be fine," said Jenkins.

Top nations will play midweek games at the 2015 World Cup after agreeing to a revised twenty-team structure.

The IRB Tier One chairmen and chief executives met on Auckland on Monday to discuss the format and schedule of the tournament as well as the economics of the game.

The quick turnaround time faced by smaller teams has been a contentious issue at the current event and has garnered much criticism.

With some teams playing four games in sixteen days while others enjoyed nearly a week between each game, the playing field was far from level.

However, it appears that this may not be a problem in the future.

"The Tier One Union delegates at the meeting committed to playing mid-week matches during RWC 2015 in order to help achieve a better balance for Tier Two and Tier Three Unions," the World Cup organisers said in a statement.

"The meeting also endorsed the commitment to review the Rugby World Cup commercial model, revenue distribution and RWC 2015 start date as planned following the completion of the 2011 event in New Zealand. "

However, the statement went on to say that: "While the meeting was not a decision-making forum, key recommendations will be put forward to the IRB Executive Committee and/or IRB Council for consideration."

IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset praised the decision to alter the World Cup schedule.

"The success of Rugby World Cup has been essential to the global prosperity and growth of our sport over the last decade. It has delivered the financial platform to enable more men, women and children to participate across all continents over the next decade," he said.

"A review of the format and match schedule is undertaken after every tournament. This scheduled meeting, its recommendations, coupled with the ongoing commercial model review, will ensure that Rugby World Cup continues to serve the needs of the global Game at every level while reinforcing its place as one of the world's premier sports events."

"I would like to thank the Tier 1 Chairmen and Chief Executives for their full and open contribution to the meeting and their commitment to the review process."

Wales skills coach Neil Jenkins has dubbed his side's World Cup semi-final against France as the biggest game in the country's history.

Having produced a top class performance to beat Ireland 22-10 and clinch their first semi-final berth since 1987, Wales are riding the crest of a wave that few thought would amount to much.

"Probably the biggest (achievement) I would say. It is the biggest game certainly I have been involved in and certainly for the players and the same for Welsh rugby history,'' Jenkins said of Wales' progression to the semi-final stage.

With one of the youngest sides in the competition, Jenkins rejects suggestions that the inexperience of players in key positions could cost Wales against France.

"It could be a strength as well. The way they are playing they do not have a lot of fear at this moment in time,'' he said.

"We have a good balance in our game now. We know when to kick, when to pass and when to run.

"I think they are taking this in their stride. We have a fantastic chance on Saturday as does France. We have lot to play for and this is a great opportunity."

Jenkins, Wales' top points scorer in Test rugby, believes that the battle between the two place kickers - Rhys Priestland for Wales and Dimitri Yachvili for France - will determine the outcome of the game.

"In reality it will come down to the kickers and the French boy has been kicking well so far. They are two evenly matched sides," he said.

Recent clashes between the two teams have all gone France's way, but Jenkins believes that the experience the Welsh have gained playing against top teams will help them in the clash.

"Obviously we know what France is all about," said Jenkins. "They are a fantastic side and they have beaten us the last three times we played them. We are under no illusions of what is ahead of us.

"We played the All Blacks four times and South Africa and Australia and what we have done against the All Blacks ... we never won (but the experience) took us a long way in terms of where we are today and in terms of confidence. We do not fear anyone at this time," he added.

Ireland's Alain Rolland and Craig Joubert of South Africa will be the officials in charge of this weekend's World Cup semi-finals.

Rolland, who refereed the 2007 World Cup final, will take charge of the first semi-final between Wales and France at Eden Park on Saturday. He will be joined by assistant referees Jonathan Kaplan of South Africa and Wayne Barnes of England.

Joubert will be the man in the middle for the second semi-final on Sunday between New Zealand and Australia, also at Eden Park. The assistant referees for the clash will be Nigel Owens from Wales and Romain Poite of France.

The appointments were made by the IRB's Match Official Selection Committee after a review of the quarter-final performances.

While Springbok coach Peter de Villiers may have lacked public support, Victor Matfield insists the plays like and respect him.

De Villiers' tenure as Springbok coach appears all but over after he told reporters following South Africa's quarter-final loss to Australia that he would not look to continue in the role.

The first non-white Springbok coach, De Villiers was a controversial choice for the position and was often the butt of jokes for sometimes bizarre comments in the media.

Having taken charge in 2008, de Villiers led the Springboks to a series win over the Lions and a Tri-Nations in the same year but failed where it ultimately mattered - at the World Cup.

However, Matfield reveals that despite initial skepticism, the coach enjoyed a good relationship with his players.

"I was in France when he got the job - I went to France because he got the job," said the lock.

"But I came back after spending one hour with him. I decided, 'This is a guy I'd love to work with'. I'm very happy about my decision. He's an unbelievable guy and I've just got respect for him."

Having inherited the bulk of the players who were so successful under his predecessor, Jake White, Matfield admits that the players had some trouble accepting De Villiers' approach.

I think when he came in he got in with a lot of senior players that had a style in their head that they wanted to play," he said.

"I don't think any coach would have been able to change their mind, (except) maybe if he dropped 80 percent of the guys they could."

"He accepted that, he worked with that, he always gave everything we wanted, he created an unbelievable environment for us to perform in. We had a great four years with him."

Wallaby coach Robbie Deans believes that if his team continue to build on past performances they can beat the All Blacks in their semi-final clash on Sunday.

Australia bounced back from defeat to Ireland in the pool stages to beat South Africa 11-9 in their quarter-final encounter and secure their passage to the World Cup final four.

Deans feels that his team learnt from their mistakes against the Irish and were better prepared against the Springboks.

"We obviously try to take the meaning out of every learning experience and I think we have," said the Kiwi.

"I think that was evident yesterday (against South Africa).

"Look at our outing against Ireland. I have no doubt that had we got through that encounter with relative ease we would have suffered yesterday.

"If we'd got through the Irish game with relative ease we may have suffered yesterday, because we wouldn't have been as well prepared. They were as mentally ready as they could be because of the loss to Ireland."

Having beaten the All Blacks 25-20 in Brisbane in their final Test before the World Cup, the Wallabies may have a psychological edge.

"It would be great to repeat it," Deans said of the game.

"But we'll have to combine what we brought to the first half in Brisbane with what we brought to the encounter yesterday (against South Africa).

"The good thing is they're both performances that this group has produced so it's not out of the realms of possibility that we can get it to that level again, and that's what we'll be looking to do."

Deans admits that facing such an old foe like New Zealand in a semi-final makes the match even more special.

"It's fantastic," he said.

"We know each other well as teams. There's a huge amount of history, there's no more history than between the Wallabies and the All Blacks.

"There's a lot of history at World Cup time as well, so it's going to be great."

The semi-final will take place at Eden Park, a venue where the Wallabies have not beaten the All Blacks since 1986, but the Aussie coaching staff have little time for talk of an Eden Park hoodoo.

"It's the first occasion we've played them in a semi-final of the World Cup at Eden Park so there's no history," said Deans.

"We don't really look at it like a hoodoo," added assistant coach David Nucifora.

"It's a World Cup semi-final against the All Blacks at Eden Park so it's a one-off fixture.

"If we didn't believe it we wouldn't be going out there so we've got the utmost confidence that if we prepare really well leading into Sunday, we've got a lot of belief in what we're capable of."

All Black full-back Mils Muliaina has brought the curtain down on his illustrious international career.

Muliaina's brilliant 100-Test career came to a premature end on Monday when it was confirmed that he would miss the remainder of the World Cup due to a fractured shoulder.

In a day that filled with agony and ecstasy, the 31-year-old brought up a century of Tests for his country and helped the All Blacks to a spot in the World Cup semi-finals only to have injury cut his joy short.

"From today onwards, I will be a former All Black," said Muliaina who will be joining Japanese outfit NTT Docomo after the World Cup.

"It only sunk in that it was over about five minutes ago.

"I really wanted to have a finish in a couple of weeks' time but it is not to be. This is rugby. Last night I was on top of the world but it is like a roller coaster.

"Bitter disappointment... but I am particularly proud to be an All Black. I have enjoyed my time and met some amazing people.

"And I am proud to be a Kiwi and proud to be an All Black."

Muliania admits that reaching the the magical milestone of 100 caps in a small way softens the blow of his injury.

"I can be called a hundy (100) now instead of a 99," he said.

"New Zealanders have been right behind me all the way so it has been fantastic.

"Today is about reflecting on what I have done... and spending time with my family.

"The biggest thing I'll miss is the people. I've spent almost a third of my life here and it has been outstanding

"What other job can you go to where people get out of their seats and cheer you? Or criticize you? I am just so proud and grateful for all the opportunities.

"It's all been great and I will miss a heck of a lot... nice to have known you guys as well," he told reporters, smiling as he left the room.

The Waikato man made his Test debut in June 2003 against England and scored 34 tries in his 100 Tests.

Wallaby centre Pat McCabe looks set to be fit for Australia's semi-final clash with New Zealand.

McCabe injured his shoulder during his team's quarter-final game against South Africa on Sunday and having just recovered from a dislocated shoulder, it was feared his tournament may be over.

However, Wallaby coach Robbie Deans has revealed the injury is not serious.

"Pat's good. He's recovered very well. His strength has come back quickly," said Deans.

"He got a couple of stingers and obviously he wasn't comfortable at the time so we withdrew him from the game at that point but he's recovered very well."

Prop Sekope Kefu (ankle) and full-back Kurtley Beale (hamstring) will both go for scans on injuries suffered during the game with the Springboks but Deans believes both are just precautionary.

"[Kepu] rolled his ankle but first reports are that it's not syndesmosis (a high ankle sprain), which is a good starting point because that's the sinister ankle injury," he explained.

Fly-half Stephen Donald and winger Hosea Gear will join the All Black squad as replacements for Colin Slade and Mils Muliaina.

The All Blacks' fly-half woe has deepend with the news that Slade's groin injury will prevent him from taking any further part in the competition.

The number ten went down injured during the first half of New Zealand's World Cup quarter-final against Argentina. Slade becomes the second Kiwi fly-half in ten days to be hit by a tournament-ending groin injury, following in the footsteps of Dan Carter.

Muliaina injured his shoulder in the match, which was his 100th - and last - Test for New Zealand.

"Mils fractured his shoulder. This makes it impossible to carry on so we have withdrawn him from the tournament," said All Blacks doctor Deb Robinson.

"As for Colin, there's a partial tear in his left adductor. Just with the timing if what that is, there would not be enough time for him to rehabilitate to take any further part in the tournament."

Donald joins Aaron Cruden in the squad as the only specialist fly-halves, with Cruden - like Donald - having come in to the squad as an injury replacement.

Gear was named by coach Graham Henry as the most unlucky player to miss out on selection to the original squad.

Henry admitted that the latest injury blows would really test New Zealand's depth.

"We've lost the first two blokes chosen and that's a setback, that's the reality of it," he said.

"We have a group of players who have been on standby. we didn't announce that group and we won't announce that.

"We've got less players here than overseas --have we got the depth? We'll find out next week.

"Obviously Colin is very disappointed. Very disappointed to be leaving the group at this stage of the tournament or any stage.

"They can't stay with the team... the replacements join the team tomorrow morning. The reason for that is so we can say goodbye to the fellas properly."

England centre Manu Tuilagi has been fined £3,000 for jumping off a ferry at the Auckland waterfront.

Manu Tuilagi was detained by Auckland police after he jumped off a ferry and swan to a nearby pier at the Auckland Ferry Terminal.

The 20-year-old was met by police who took him to the Auckland Central Police station before releasing him into the hands of the England team management having been given a pre-charge warning for disorderly behaviour.

The Rugby Football Union then handed down a £3,000 fine.

It is believed that Tuilagi was returning from a trip to Waiheke Island with his England team-mates.

"This was an irresponsible thing to do. Manu has been disciplined internally and I have warned him about his future conduct," said England manager Martin Johnson.

The Leicester man later apologised for his actions.

"I'm really sorry. It was a silly thing to do and I apologise to everybody for any inconvenience caused," he said.

It is the second time that Tuilagi has been fined during the World Cup, having been forced to pay £4,800 for wearing a branded gum-shield.

Tuilagi's fine will be paid to the Rugby World Cup's Christchurch appeal.

England World Cup centre Manu Tuilagi was detained by New Zealand police after jumping off a ferry as it was about to berth on the Auckland waterfront, media reports claimed.

The 20-year-old Samoan-born player was believed to have jumped off the ferry, which was carrying other team-mates, as it arrived from Waiheke Island and was preparing to dock, the New Zealand Herald reported on its website edition.

Police refused to identify Tuilagi as the individual involved, but sources told the newspaper that the player swam to the quay.

A police spokeswoman said that he was formally warned about the offence of disorderly behaviour, and then released to the England team management.

Warren Fowler, the general manager of the ferry company, said the antic was dangerous and that there could have been serious consequences.

"It could have been tragic with vessels coming in here and someone jumping off the back of a vessel when it is going to be reversing shortly," Fowler said.

England were knocked out of the World Cup by France in the quarter-finals on Saturday, losing 19-12.

Tuilagi had already been in hot water at the tournament when he was fined for wearing an illegal gumshield bearing a sponsor's name.

He was fined NZ$10,000 ($7,500) for wearing the wrong mouthguard in England's game against Georgia.

Australia playmaker Quade Cooper finished on the winning side but gave his army of critics in New Zealand ample ammunition in the Wallabies' 11-9 World Cup quarter-final victory over South Africa here Sunday.

Cooper could conjour none of the magic that delivered Australia this year's Tri-Nations title, in a shaky display that at times almost cost his side the match before they overcame the defending champions.

His attacking flair was nullified by the Springboks and his sometimes frail defence was again called into question with a series of missed tackles, one of which led to a 'try', which luckily for Cooper, was disallowed.

The 23-year-old's turnover rate, four in this game and 16 during the tournament, and tendency to slice tactical kicks in pressure situations left the Australians camped in their own 22 for much of the match.

His form was so woeful it may even give Australian coach Robbie Deans a selection headache going into a likely semi-final with New Zealand, with Berrick Barnes a possible replacement for the wayward number 10.

Deans said Cooper would probably concede it wasn't his best game and praised Barnes's effort off the bench.

"The good thing is we got through the game with that and this whole group will be better for tonight's experience," former New Zealand full-back Deans said.

"Berrick did well, there was one very good kick which alleviated a lot of pressure and produced a bit of pressure and ultimately produced the opportunity we needed."

New Zealand-born Cooper, roundly booed by locals in the Wellington Regional Stadium every time he touched the ball, fumbled his first touch in the third minute, spilling a Morne Steyn kick backwards.

He missed two tackles and scuffed a clearing kick in the first 10 minutes but showed a glimpse of his undoubted talent soon after, easing the pressure on Australia with a beautifully weighted 30-metre kick.

But it was in the late in the game, when Australia was desperately defending an 8-6 lead that Cooper really began to struggle.

He missed a crucial tackle that allowed South Africa to position themselves for a Steyn drop goal which the Springboks ahead 9-8,

Shortly before that, he caught a high ball well but was turned over after being tackled by the chasing Bryan Habana, allowing the Boks to spread the ball to the other side of the pitch for a 'try' that referee Bryce Lawrence disallowed after spotting a forward pass.

At times Cooper was screaming for the ball as he tried to inject himself into the game.

But the mercurial skills that on another night may have allowed the Australians to dominate - ranging from an attempted one-handed pick up of a Will Genia pass that knocked on, a grubber kick that went straight to Steyn or a clearing kick charged down by Willem Alberts - all failed to come off against the Springboks.

Newspapers slammed England's rugby team as "Les Miserables" after they lost to old enemy France at the World Cup on Saturday.

The Sunday Times said England, the 2003 champions, "could not possibly have played worse in what is supposed to be the biggest tournament in the sport" after France beat them 19-12 in a quarter-final in Auckland, having raced into a 16-0 half-time lead at Eden Park.

"Au revoir... To England's World Chumps," its headline on the sports pages said, adding "Time's Up Jonno", calling for the exit of manager Martin Johnson, England's victorious captain eight years ago.

"Dear God, that was awful," wrote Stephen Jones, the Sunday Times' long-serving rugby correspondent.

"Not just this quarter-final, won easily by a French team who had appeared dead on their feet, divided and without hope, but the whole farce of England's four years (since the 2007 World Cup, where they lost in the final to South Africa)."

In the Observer, former Wasps and England forward Dean Ryan said England's running game against France was "suicidal".

He said Johnson had created a template for "conservative rugby" that he then abandoned, adding that to do so in a quarter-final "looks like madness".

"England were not comfortable with the feel and tempo of an all-out running game and it showed. The experiment could have been inspired or suicidal.

"It ended up suicidal," Ryan said.

The Independent on Sunday's back page led not on England's failure, but on Wales' success, with a huge picture of Welsh scrum-half Mike Phillips taking to the air before scoring a try.

The Sunday Times hailed "Wonderful Wales" after they beat Ireland 22-10 in Wellington to set-up a semi-final with France

All Blacks full-back Mils Muliaina's celebrated 100 Tests for New Zealand by injuring his shoulder and being replaced at half-time.

He was worried at times during the Rugby World Cup he might never get to 100 tests for New Zealand. After achieving the milestone on Sunday, now he's worried he might not play Test number 101.

The All Blacks ensured Muliaina's big night was a celebration with a 33-10 quarter-final win over Argentina, and afterwards he received a special silver Test cap just like Richie McCaw did when he was the first New Zealander to a century of appearances two weeks ago against France.

But throughout the emotional post-match ceremony on Eden Park, accompanied by his wife Hayley and parents Ita and Lou, Muliaina didn't attempt to lift his left arm.

He injured the shoulder in the match and was replaced at halftime.

"Mils has a pretty serious shoulder injury and you probably saw at the presentation of his cap at the end of the game that he might be in a bit of trouble," coach Graham Henry said.

Muliaina didn't make much of an impact from fullback in a match that was mostly a tug-of-war between the forwards.

He was fortunate to make the starting XV for the 95th time in an eight-year career which has been marked by consistent excellence.

Muliaina hasn't played at his usual high standard this year, and lost the starting spot in his third World Cup to the exciting and much younger Israel Dagg. But Dagg received a badly bruised thigh in last weekend's pool win over Canada, and Muliaina was tapped.

At 31, and set to retire from the All Blacks after the World Cup, he's trying to join Percy Montgomery (in 2007) as the only full-backs over 30 to lift the trophy.

The occasion of his 100th, on the ground where he first made his mark, got to Muliaina long before kick-off.

The team let him run out alone in the traditional honor for such milestones, and he received hugs on the field from teammates.

Then he teared up during the national anthems. He was also emotional during the cap ceremony, when he could offer only one-arm hugs to his family and Jock Hobbs, the former All Blacks captain and NZRU president, who is fighting cancer.

McCaw looked on with obvious pleasure and pride.

"It's just great that's he's got out there for 100," McCaw said.

"He's just a champion. Shame to see he got an injury, but it's great to see him hit that milestone."

Just like France did, Argentina joined the All Blacks in a guard of honour for Muliaina's walk off the field.

"Being asked to run the boys out was pretty special. I underestimated how emotional I would feel," Muliaina said.

"There were a lot of emotions, but All Blacks don't cry, so I did my best not to."

Argentina hooker Mario Ledesma had no regrets after his playing days came to an end in Sunday's quarter-final loss to New Zealand.

Ledesma, who will return to his responsibilities as scrum coach at Top 14 side Stade Francais, said he had enjoyed the experience and was sad it had all come to en end after a decade-and-a-half.

"It's a great pleasure to have experienced something as this," admitted a tearful Ledesma as he headed for the team bus after the loss at Eden Park.

"Everything I experience from here on will be banal compared with what I have lived through these past 16 years."

He said it was difficult at the end to keep his emotions in check.

"At the moment you have a load of things engraved upon your memory. It's been a huge privilege and great pleasure to play so long for the Pumas and it means a lot to me," he added.

"It was my dream as a kid," he added, while explaining that "at the last World Cup (in 2007) I went over there to win it, I wanted to be champion (they reached the semi-finals). This time I wanted to enjoy every minute and I did right down to the last kick.

"Giving one hundred percent I made a lot of sacrifices," said the veteran after winning his 84th cap.

"Personally, that was my best match of the World Cup and I thank God for giving me this chance and also my wife and children for allowing me to play till the age of 38," added the former Clermont star, who played a huge role in helping them win their first national title in 2010.

Ledesma said he thought Argentina might have run the Kiwis a little closer but found referee Nigel Owens "very tolerant in the rucks with (All Blacks skipper) Richie McCaw".

"It's difficult to get moves going when there's always someone diving into the middle. And then every time we tried rucking we got penalised," he said.

"I think they'd have won anyway but in my view the score is not a true reflection of the match," said Ledesma, the third most-capped Argentine in history behind Lisandro Arbizu and Rolando Martin, who both made 86 appearances.

"We knew if we stayed in the game and got a score they would have doubts. And that's how it went as it's not as if they turned in an exhibition of their rugby," said Ledesma, whose 18 World Cup appearances for the Pumas across four tournaments are a national record.

"But I've experienced more with the Pumas than I had hoped. To play to the age of 38 and bow out with a quarter-final against New Zealand," he said, his voice trailing off.

"I was a bit emotional to hear some of the fans chant my name. It's very good, it's recognition and that makes me very happy."

Springbok lock Danie Rossouw couldn't hide his disappointment after his team's quarter-final defeat to Australia on Sunday.

Rossouw felt he exit of the defending champions would be far less upsetting had he not been the man who conceded the penalty that sealed the deal for Australia.

"For me personally it is devastating," Rossouw said after South Africa lost 11-9 against the Wallabies in Wellington.

The 72nd minute penalty, converted by Wallaby wing James O'Connor, effectively ended all hopes the Springboks had of becoming the first nation to win back-to-back World Cup titles.

Had they progressed all the way, they would also have become the first nation to win the tournament for a third time.

Rossouw disagreed with the call made by referee Bryce Lawrence which resulted in the deciding points of the match.

"He said I sacked the player, but as far as I know you are allowed to sack the player," Rossouw said.

"He gave a penalty, so I don't know. I didn't play him in the air."

The towering lock said the team's elimination was devastating after all the work that had gone into their preparation for the tournament.

"It is a sad day for me," he said.

"There are a lot of guys here that I made friends with, that I wasn't already friends with, and we became a brotherhood here.

"That is the saddest thing for me -- we became big mates and now it is all over."

Rossouw will soon join scrumhalf Fourie du Preez at Japanese club Suntory, but he insisted his World Cup dream was not yet over.

"I will be keeping in good shape, so if they call me up I will play," he said.

The utility forward struggled to pinpoint the reason for their loss to the Wallabies.

"We had a great performance. We played most of the rugby and we had a brilliant game," he said.

"One or two calls didn't go our way ... I don't know, we should have made more of our opportunities."

Within a week, Aaron Cruden has gone from watching the Rugby World Cup at home on TV to possibly being the last All Blacks fly-half left standing for the semi-final against Australia.

Dan Carter's groin injury ended his tournament and started Cruden's on October 2, and Colin Slade's groin strain in the 33-10 win over Argentina in the quarter-finals on Sunday now has the diminutive number ten poised to face-off against the Wallabies' Quade Cooper.

"It's been pretty surreal, the last week," Cruden said.

"To be honest, I don't think it has fully sunk in. A week ago I was watching the games on the couch and now I'm playing in them. Very blessed to be here and hopefully we can keep the momentum going."

With New Zealand trailing 7-6 and the anxiety levels of the hushed almost capacity Eden Park crowd rising as memories of ignominious exits of World Cups past came flooding back, Cruden went on in the 33rd minute to replace Slade.

After an understandably nervous start, Cruden's confidence grew as he made several incisive runs against the tiring Pumas' defense.

"Running out there, the crowd and everything was pretty overwhelming, but the senior guys really got behind me and told me to play my game," he said.

"The guys around me gave me a lot of confidence to play my natural game.

"As the game went on, I started to feel I was able to do that and got the groove of the game and was pretty pleased with how things went."

Cruden's performance wasn't bad considering he hasn't played for more than a month, not since Manawatu got knocked out of the ITM Cup. All set to go on holiday, he got the call-up after doing no training other than gym work and playing touch rugby.

He's since been "getting to know the structures again" at training and receiving feedback from senior players, like captain Richie McCaw.

"I take my hat off to him," McCaw said. "He had to learn pretty quick this week. I thought he had a pretty good day."

Even Carter has been happy to assist Cruden.

"He's been around the hotel helping both I and Colin out, and just saying: 'Embrace it, you're in this team for a reason' and we're good enough to be here and test ourselves against the best in the world," Cruden said.

"It was unfortunate that I got an opportunity because of Dan's injury, but now I'm here I just want to do him proud and New Zealand proud."

France coach Marc Lièvremont has called on his side to shed their habit of being inconsistent in next Saturday's semi-final against Wales.

In typical French fashion, les Bleus bounced back from a shock loss to Tonga to book their third consecutive World Cup semi-final by overcoming England.

"In a way they fulfilled a form of moral obligation with regards to the past generations (by reaching the last four)," Lièvremont said on Sunday.

"But they still have to write their own history and they need to have that desire."

France were widely tipped to be heading out of the tournament after the Tonga debacle. But the French had been written off before, notably prior to the 1999 semi-final and 2007 quarter-final - but came back from behind both times to beat New Zealand.

In 1987, France also overcame Australia with a late try to reach the final at the inaugural tournament.

"History is repeating itself," said Lièvremont.

"History has also shown that, after a tough win where anger and pride were shown, despite the talent of each generation, there was a failure (afterward)," he added, referring to heavy losses to the All Blacks in the '87 final and to Australia in '99.

While comebacks out of nowhere are something of a French specialty, following up one inspirational performance with another has always proved elusive.

"We don't know how to do that yet," Lièvremont said. "I hope we manage to do it this time."

Lièvremont is hoping the players stay grounded and focused after beating England, which may not be easy with the team's hotel right in Auckland city centre.

"The danger is to spend the week satisfying the media, who may behave differently, the agents, who will promise the earth," said Lièvremont, who had previously been critical of players spending too much time with their agents before and after the Tonga match in Wellington.

"The risk is to believe you've now become a superb rugby player." he said, noting that the only difference between the teams which beat England and lost to Tonga was the level of commitment and intensity.

Lièvremont has thought of a way to stop complacency setting in. The players will get together this week and go over the video of the England result, a match Lièvremont said France "could have lost" given their shaky second-half performance.

"The leaders, a small group of players, will meet to give their impressions, without the staff present," said Lièvremont.

France face an even tougher challenge against a Wales team brimming with confidence after its victory over Ireland.

Lièvremont, who names his team on Tuesday, got a close look at his future opponents when he walked past several Wales players in the hotel lobby on his way to Sunday's news conference.

"We bumped into the Welsh, it was quite nice. They seemed to be pretty refreshed for a Welsh team the day after a victory," said Lièvremont.

"I thought they were in pretty good shape. It's better to bump into them here than at the airport heading home.

"They came out of the hardest pool having lost to South Africa when they deserved to win, I thought to myself they wouldn't recover from that."

"They play a great style of rugby, more complete than what England showed in the tournament. The way they controlled Ireland was impressive.

"Fundamentally, I think they are playing the same rugby of three years ago when they won the Grand Slam," he added. "They have mobile, brave forwards. The way they stood up to Ireland was impressive, and there is a great understanding among the backs - a lot speed.

"Wales have not always been the champions of consistency. Warren Gatland has managed to freshen up his squad with some very talented players."

Springbok scrum-half Fourie du Preez said Sunday's World Cup quarter-final loss to Australia was one of the most frustrating matches of his career.

The 11-9 defeat in Wellington not only brought an end South Africa's hopes of defending their title but also signalled the changing of the guard as a number of players are set to hang up their international boots.

Du Preez, considered one of the best scrum-halves in the world, will join Japanese club Suntory along with Danie Rossouw, who has been at his side with both the Springboks and the Blue Bulls for many years.

Coach Peter de Villiers said after the match he would call it quits, skipper John Smit is set for a move to English side Saracens, Victor Matfield will retire and Bakkies Botha is heading to Toulon in France.

"It has been a long road for us and this is a very sad exit," said Du Preez.

"We did all the hard work tonight, and during the World Cup, to win this game, and to come up short at the end of the day is hugely disappointing.

"Any game you lose in a Springbok jersey is hugely disappointing and you don't want to lose badly either.

"If you look at the way we played, we are proud of our performance tonight and that makes it so much harder to take."

Late in the second half, Du Preez had a chance to score a try, but lost the ball just metres before the try line.

The only area in which the Wallabies were superior to the Boks, according to the match statistics, was in the number of handling errors made by the respective sides.

Australia, who had the ball for 44 percent of the match, knocked it on nine times while the Springboks made 11 handling errors.

"I think that just shows that stats don't mean anything," said Du Preez.

"We felt that we were in control the whole game, even after the first half when we went to the change room at 8-3.

"We felt that we were totally in control and that's just the way rugby goes.

"We did enough to win the game, it just didn't show on the scoreboard."

Du Preez lauded Wallaby flanker David Pocock, the Man of the Match, for his performance on the night.

"When you play against one of the best openside flanks in the world, and the ref allows him to slow the ball down, he will always be very effective," said Du Preez.

"It was very tough for us, but we didn't do enough to sort him out, so credit to him, he really played well."

New Zealand are facing up to the prospect of losing another pivot as Colin Slade struggles with a groin injury picked up against Argentina.

Slade left the field halfway through the first-half and was replaced by Aaron Cruden, but coach Graham Henry was unsure of his pivot's fate.

"The doctor is away with some of the players at the moment so I haven't got a report yet," he said, with centurion Mils Muliaina nursing a shoulder.

"Colin is definitely a groin and I'm not sure how long that is going to take to come right and I think Mils has got a pretty serious shoulder injury so I think he might be in a bit of trouble."

On the prospect of featuring in his first last-four clash of his All Black tenure next weekend, Henry was in jovial spirits alongside Richie McCaw.

"I've never been to a semi-final before, it's amazing," the boss said before assessing his team's performance on Sunday.

"I was pleased with the game and I thought both sides played particularly well. But our guys showed composure after being under a lot of pressure at times and kept their heads. We had a good set-piece in what was a good game of football."

Victory over the Pumas was arguably the toughest test yet at the 2011 tournament for hosts New Zealand and Henry agreed that the workout, which featured 21 points from scrum-half Piri Weepu, was just what they needed after wins over Tonga, France, Japan and Canada.

"I think it will be helpful. Quarter-finals are always tough games and I'm sure that we'll be better for that game," he added.

"Piri was outstanding. He played pretty well as a half-back and also kicked superbly."

By Adam Kyriacou at Eden Park

Argentina captain Felipe Contepomi could not fault his players after their World Cup exit to New Zealand at the quarter-final stage in Auckland.

The centre was in reflective mood as his side bows out of the tournament, happy to look ahead at Argentina's arrival into next year's Four Nations.

"We said that we were coming here to grow as a team," he said after the 33-10 loss on Sunday.

"We had highs and lows and right now it is hard to make an assessment but I think this team has a future with the young players coming through."

Argentina were very much in the game until the hour mark at Eden Park before tries from Kieran Read and Brad Thorn saw the hosts pull away.

"We played very well for 60 minutes and we have been growing and we will continue to grow," explained Contempomi.

"Our plan was to play the best possible rugby we could and to give 100 per cent which we did. It is very important for Argentina to reach the quarter-finals, especially this team as it wasn't easy coming here. I'm very proud of this team."

Meanwhile, Santiago Phelan admitted he had refused to look beyond the tournament as the prospect of mixing it with the All Blacks, Wallabies and Boks looms large from next year.

"It is something I hadn't been thinking about before or during the World Cup but needless to say it is going to be very important to us that we play every year against teams of this calibre. It is going to be very hard but Argentine rugby will continue to grow," said the head coach.

By Adam Kyriacou at Eden Park

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans praised the character of his young side and David Pocock in particular after Sunday's narrow World Cup quarter-final victory over South Africa.

In a nail-biting encounter, the Springboks were left to rue several missed opportunities, while they never got to grips with Kiwi referee Bryce Lawrence's interpretation at the breakdown, where Pocock dominated.

"He was immense," said Deans of the openside flanker's contribution.

"David Pocock's game was remarkable, and it was bigger than he got credit for.

"The world is blessed with some very good snafflers at the moment, and no doubt people will be looking forward to next week, to that end.

"What you saw out there was the most experienced World Cup side in the world (South Africa) really turn the screws on the youngest. So, our boys came of age in terms of the way they accepted that challenge and stood up to it.

"We saw an epic World Cup encounter. Different, but that's what makes this game what it is.

"I have got no doubt that the next couple of weeks will be the best World Cup rugby that we've ever seen.

"The bar just keeps going up in terms of the capability of the sides."

Skipper James Horwill, who scored the only try of the game, praised his team for resisting long periods of huge pressure.

"In games like that you have to find a way to win and that's what we did," said Horwill

"We don't think we got out of jail. We think we got the result we deserved because of the work we put in.

"Not everything went our way and we put ourselves under a lot of pressure," he said.

"But one thing you can't teach or train is effort and commitment from the group. Every member of our team showed a hell of a lot of both of those.

"We feel we got the result we deserved on the back of a massive effort from the whole group. Moving forward that is what it's going to take."

"I thought the scrum held up well. It was huge effort from all the guys in the forwards. But (the lin-eout) was a part of the game that wasn't good enough. We'll go back to the drawing board and work on that."

New Zealand were made to work very hard but got the job done by beating Argentina 33-10 on Sunday to advance to the Rugby World Cup semi-finals.

The All Blacks were far from their best but teams seldom are in knockout rugby. What may be a concern to them though was the loss of Colin Slade to injury. Dan Carter's fly-half replacement left the field during the first stanza with a leg injury, being replaced by third-choice Aaron Cruden.

It was a scrum-half who stole the headlines though at Eden Park as Piri Weepu kicked 21 points, missing just one attempt on the night.

Seen as the dead-cert of the quarter-finals, it was always going to be critical for the Pumas to repel any swift score from the All Blacks. Which was exactly what they did whilst forcing some early mishaps from a nervous playmaker Slade. Quickly, most of the crowd noise was Argentina's.

But on twelve minutes the early Pumas stampede was finally weathered and New Zealand posted their first calming points via the boot of Weepu. It arrived following a line-out indiscretion which allowed the nine, arguably chosen to take the kicking load off Slade, to slot from 40 metres.

In 1987, these two battled to a 46-15 scoreline in favour of the All Blacks. However, any sort of a repeat was always going to be unlikely with times markedly different in 2011. So much so that, despite an almost try from number eight Kieran Read in the left corner, Argentina were more than standing steady going into the second quarter. Only a couple of set-piece offences proved their downfall as again Weepu was successful, this time on 25 minutes.

Argentina had never been trailing by more than six points in the 2011 tournament and they soon demonstrated why with a superb break off the base of their scrum seeing number eight Leonardo Senatore pierce the All Black defence before recycled ball led to Julio Farias Cabello crashing over due to a lapse in the home guard system. Felipe Contepomi added the extra two points for a 6-7 advantage which coincided with Slade departing the action.

New Zealand needed to, and ultimately did, recompose as they captured some of that early territory they had enjoyed previously. Weepu again was on the mark from the kicking tee as the Pumas' lead was short-lived. The visitors had however silenced Eden Park and given themselves belief of the impossible. They would have to come back from 12-7 down though in the second-half following another penalty being awarded. Weepu was four from four.

Still though the Pumas would not roll over as they did not hang around with their task at hand. Marcelo Bosch it was who landed a long-range penalty that brought them back to within two points. New Zealand, who were without Test centurion Mils Muliaina for the second-half, again hit back soon after though in what was turning into a ding-dong battle. Very few had expected such a close-fought encounter to decide who would play Australia.

Nevertheless, the home side were beginning to take a grip on the game towards the hour mark and almost crossed the whitewash when Richie McCaw stretched for the post protector. Television match official Shaun Veldsman though otherwise however, in a passage that coincided with Nicolas Vergallo being shown a yellow card. Things were starting to look bleak for the Pumas, who were camped on their own line for long periods as New Zealand went for the kill. Consolation for the All Blacks was another advantage having been played during those aforementioned phases, which opened up a key two-score lead.

And that was the cushion the All Blacks needed as they continued to enjoy their territorial and phase dominance that saw Kieran Read left unattended to wide on the left wing. New Zealand were 23-10 to the good as the game approached its final ten minutes and Argentina's challenged neared its end. Weepu added another three to his personal tally in the closing stages before Thorn iced the nervous yet measured display. Australia next.

Man of the match: A near faultless kicking display from Piri Weepu sees him take the award. He marshalled well from the base and seems to have secured the nine jersey.

Moment of the match: It was tit for tat for long periods at Eden Park before Kieran Read put the game to bed with a try wide out. Argentina had a mountain to climb after that score.

Villain of the match: All clean and fair at Eden Park.

The scorers:

For Argentina:
Try: Cabello
Con: Contepomi
Pen: Bosch

For New Zealand:
Tries: Read, Thorn
Con: Cruden
Pens: Weepu 7

Yellow card: Vergallo (Argentina - 58th min - professional foul)

Argentina: 15 Martín Rodríguez, 14 Gonzalo Camacho, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Felipe Contepomi (capt), 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 Santiago Fernández, 9 Nicolás Vergallo, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 6 Julio Farias Cabello, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Manuel Carizza, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Mario Ledesma, 1 Rodrigo Roncero.
Replacements: 16 Agustín Creevy, 17 Martín Scelzo, 18 Marcos Ayerza, 19 Alejandro Campos, 20 Alfredo Lalanne, 21 Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, 22 Juan Jose Imhoff.

New Zealand: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Sonny Bill Williams, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Brad Thorn, 4 Samuel Whitelock, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Ali Williams, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Jimmy Cowan, 21 Aaron Cruden, 22 Isaia Toeava.

Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Nigel Owens
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan, George Clancy
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman

By Adam Kyriacou at Eden Park

Peter de Villiers has confirmed that he will set down as Springbok coach after Sunday's World Cup quarter-final loss to Australia.

The defending champions crashed out of the tournament after going down 11-9 to the Wallabies in Wellington, bringing an end to De Villiers's era at the helm.

"It was a brilliant journey, something that none of you guys (the media) can't take away from me," said De Villiers.

"To work with people like this, people that are passionate about their country, people who always put their bodies on the line and try to bring hope to poor people back home who will never have the privilege that most of you guys have.

"It was really incredible for me to work with them."

De Villiers, who was appointed in 2008, said he believed the Boks had a bright future, but he would no longer be involved.

"There is a time to come and a time to go and the journey I think for me is over," he said.

"I enjoyed it. I'm privileged to be in a position where I could make a contribution to my county and I hope it was a positive one.

"South African rugby will move forward and will be much better next year."

The first non-white Springbok coach, De Villiers was a controversial figure during his tenure, having made numerous, and sometimes bizarre, comments in the media.

He guided the team to a 2-1 series victory over the British and Irish Lions in 2009, and they lifted the Tri-Nations trophy the same year.

The Boks also secured a historic win over New Zealand in Dunedin during his reign, but De Villiers was always going to be judged by the team's performance at the global showpiece as they went in search of their third World Cup title.

"I wanted to be the best me that I could be," he said.

"The way I am is the way I want people to remember me."

Springbok captain John Smit, who lifted the World Cup under Jake White in 2007, gave De Villiers credit for his efforts while in charge.

"As much as the pain flows through the heart right now because of the loss, I think the other thing that was said in the change room by many of the guys is that we have had a really good four years together, and that has been pioneered by Peter," said Smit.

"He's not the mould of coach that we are used to, but one that we have thoroughly enjoyed over the four years."

Smit said De Villiers had lifted their spirits with his unique approach to the job.

"His saying, from the day he started, and I suppose when he wakes up tomorrow, was that even the bad days are good, and that is what he has done.

"He has made us enjoy every moment and he has given us leeway and space and then tightened up when we took advantage of that.

"He's been a great man and he has helped us enjoy these last four years. It's disappointing for it to end like this."

Despite being under the cosh for most of the game, Australia held on to beat South Africa 11-9 in a thrilling World Cup quarter-final in Wellington on Sunday.

The Wallabies scored the only try of the game but needed a late James O'Connor penalty to scrape past the dominant Springboks.

The defending champions made most of the running but failed to convert their chances into points and Australia held a 8-3 advantage when the teams swapped ends.

Indeed the Boks were on top in just about every sector bar the scoreboard for most of the encounter but it took them an hour to put their noses in front.

But the lead was short-lived as O'Connor put the Wallabies back in front from long range with nine minutes left on the clock.

South Africa will head home wondering just how they lost after ruling the set pieces and forcing the Wallabies to make almost three times as many tackles as they did.

Credit to the Wallaby defence though for holding wave after wave of attack at bay.

The battle at the breakdown between David Pocock and Heinrich Brüssow had been billed as potentially decisive and many will consider that to have been the case with Brüssow forced off injured after 20 minutes while Pocock went on to put in a man-of-the-match performance.

In perfect conditions for running rugby, the Springboks were out of the blocks at a furious pace, looking dangerous with ball in hand and enjoying the upper hand in the opening exchanges while Australia were not helped by some hesitant touches from playmaker Quade Cooper.

Of particular worry for the Wallabies was how their scrum struggled from the second call of 'engage' while Victor Matfield ruled the line-outs.

But the Wallabies would be first to score, albeit against the run of play. Cooper set up a line-out deep in South African territory with a deft kick. Matfield secured possession for the Boks but Schalk Burger was turned over at the ensuing ruck. Wallaby skipper James Horwill didn't need a second invitation to grab the opportunity and powered his way over the line.

O'Connor missed the conversion but having points on the board sparked the Wallabies into life and the young wing made no mistake with his next shot at goal, giving Australia an 8-0 lead after Kurtley Beale had sliced through the opposition defensive line.

New Zealand referee Bryce Lawrence adopted a lenient approach with hands in the ruck from both sides and Aussie poacher Pocock was making his presence felt.

It was all going wrong for the Boks as star flank Brüssow was forced off with a rib injury at the end of the first quarter. His absence was immediately felt when another turnover was conceded just inches from the Wallaby tryline.

Morne Steyn sent a long-range penalty wide before the Boks turned down another chance for points, opting rather for an attacking line-out. But once again a turnover within touching distance of the whitewash denied the men in green.

Steyn found the mark on the stroke of halt-time however to keep South Africa within striking distance at 8-3 at the break.

Soon after the restart South Africa thought they finally had the try they sought but Pat Lambie was called back for a forward pass.

The 50-minute mark saw form players Bismarck du Plessis and François Hougaard enter the fray. A few minutes later Steyn reduced the gap to two points from the kicking tee while Berrick Barnes took over at inside centre for Australia.

The Boks continued to ply the pressure and drop goal from Steyn on the hour mark saw the South Africans take the lead for the first time.

But O'Connor struck the winner for Australia in the dying minutes after Danie Rossouw took Radike Samo out in the air at a line-out.

The Wallabies will now face the winners of Sunday's second quarter-final between Argentina and New Zealand.

Man of the match: The thorn in the Springboks' side from start to finish, David Pocock lived up to his billing as a game breaker. Crucial turnovers at crucial times - that's what they call big match temperament.

Moment of the match: It all went wrong for the Springboks in minute 21. Moments after Brüssow hobbled off, a drive at the Wallaby line was stopped inches short and ending with the ball in Wallaby hands. It left the Boks trailing by eight and set the trend for things to come...

Villain of the match: No nasty stuff in a magnificent game.

The scorers:

For Australia:
Try: Horwill
Pens: O'Connor 2

For South Africa:
Pens: Steyn 2
Drop: Steyn

Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 James O'Connor, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Radike Samo, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 James Horwill (c), 4 Dan Vickerman, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Sekope Kepu.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota Nau, 17 James Slipper, 18 Nathan Sharpe, 19 Ben McCalman, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Berrick Barnes, 22 Anthony Fainga'a.

South Africa: 15 Pat Lambie, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 John Smit (c), 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Willem Alberts, 19 François Louw, 20 François Hougaard, 21 Butch James, 22 Gio Aplon.

Venue: Regional Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Dave Pearson (England, Romain Poite (France)
TMO: Giulio De Santis (Italy)

England players are backing Team Manager Martin Johnson to remain at the helm despite their worst Rugby World Cup performance since 1999.

Johnson, whose contract is up for renewal in December, made no decision about his future after England lost 19-12 to a revived France side in the quarter-finals at Eden Park on Saturday.

The man who captained England to the 2003 World Cup and aimed to be the first player to return to the winners' rostrum as a successful coach, said his future was not a matter for discussion when "emotions are still raw".

Younger members of the squad want Johnson to take the team through to the 2015 World Cup in England just as former coach Clive Woodward, who guided the side to glory in 2003, was given another shot at winning the Webb Ellis trophy after presiding over the quarter-final defeat by the Springboks four years earlier.

"Without a shadow of a doubt," said 22-year-old scrum-half Ben Youngs when asked if Johnson should stay in post.

"I've got nothing but respect for 'Johnno'."

Full-back Ben Foden agreed.

"Do I want Martin Johnson to stay? Of course. You can't really fault 'Johnno's' enthusiasm and what he's trying to achieve."

Rob Andrew, who will lead a review of the performance, refrained from openly endorsing Johnson but said the situation was different to 2007 when Brian Ashton was sacked.

"The key thing from my point of view is we take the next four to six weeks with Martin to review what went on," Andrew, sitting beside Johnson at a presser on Sunday.

"Obviously, Martin will reflect on why we've gone out in the quarter-final of a World Cup," former England fly-half Andrew added.

"We now have to take stock and not over-react one way or the other."

Ben Foden has acknowledged that England wasted a glorious chance to reach the semi-finals, after going down to France.

The Northampton Saints full-back, criticised England's performance after their 19-12 defeat at Eden Park.

The result means that the 2003 champions failed to reach at least the semi-finals of a World Cup for the first time since 1999.

"I am gutted and livid," said Foden, who scored a try in the second half.

"We had a massive opportunity and we blew it.

"We are just frustrated in our performance. We didn't step up to the mark.

"The French were there for the taking and we didn't step up. You don't mind losing to a better team or to a great performance, but the French weren't brilliant by any standards.

"They took their opportunities and we just didn't stack up.

"We have been waiting four or five months and to throw it away on that game is frustrating.

"In every game we have started slowly and we said this week if we started slowly and gave them opportunities they would punish us and that is exactly what they did.

"How many times are we going to have to learn that lesson before we come out of the blocks with a bit of spark about us? The first 20 minutes we have got to look at ourselves.

"For a lot of guys that was their last quarter-final in the World Cup and to come out and concede 16 points in the first 40 minutes is just not good enough," he added.

After conceding two early tries, England seemed to panic. They committed several handling errors in trying to bring themselves back into the game.

"It seems like there is a lack of spark and a bit of a lack of confidence," he explained.

"The French are a good team and it was always going to be a close contest. It was a contest we thought we would come out on top of."

England Team Manager Martin Johnson refused to make a decision on his immediate future following their 19-12 defeat to France in Auckland.

Les Bleus were the better side as they set up a semi-final date with Wales a week from now, dispatching their rivals in a strong display.

But in the aftermath of a performance that apart from two second-half tries, failed to impress, Johnson was in no mood to talk about quitting.

"Now is not the time," the 2003 World Cup winner said when questioned about his England future.

"I'm just disappointed for all the backroom staff who have put their heart and soul into it and staying until the end. The England fans too but that's what World Cups are about. We'll see what happens, I'll give it a couple of days and I will assess myself and we will see how we go."

England, who had clawed their way back from deficits against Argentina and Scotland, were made to climb a mountain against France. Marc Lievremont's side had raced into a 16-0 half-time lead and despite an English revival after the turnaround, the French held on to win.

"I thought we started the game pretty well," he continued.

"When we had the ball early on we had a five-metre line-out but lost that. I think the key in the first-half was their kicking game as they probably reclaimed a lot more of their kicks than we did. That led to territory while we had some poor defence on the edge.

"We said that these guys will test us on the edge more than anyone we have played so far and that was the case. Our defence wasn't good enough and a couple of mistakes left us two tries down and from there it was uphill. We created two chances but couldn't finish them off and that was the difference."

Despite finishing top of their Pool, England's showings in New Zealand had left a lot to be desired. But that was not how Johnson viewed their efforts, sighting a bright future for them.

"Performances have been fine as we were in a quarter-final without losing a game," he said.

"I believe this team's best days are ahead of it. A lot of them are at their first World Cup and they'll benefit from the experience.

"The story of our night was that mistakes killed our momentum and they put theirs away. I was proud of the way our guys fought back in the second-half and their effort was fantastic. We left ourselves with far too much to do though which was brutal, and that is what World Cups are. We said that one team goes home with a smile, the others it ends in tears."

By Adam Kyriacou at Eden Park

Marc Lièvremont urged his team to do what past French sides have not done and write their own history at the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

Les Bleus were a cut above as they swept aside their rivals, showing flashes of brilliance that have become synonymous with previous outfits.

But Lièvremont, who has been under pressure from the press recently, believes this team should now not fall into the trap of their predecessors.

"It was a very emotional evening," he explained.

"I've got the feeling that the players have really performed. They have executed their part of the contract and have played as well as past generations. We will see whether this particular team just want to do the same as previous teams or whether they want to write their own story.

Thierry Dusautoir meanwhile was in a contrasting mood to the one that followed their loss to Tonga.

"I think that most of us realised that we were missing out on an extraordinary opportunity to be here and play in a World Cup for our country," he said before rallying his troops.

"This is unique, it is the kind of experience that you have maybe only once in a lifetime, especially when you are in a situation where you play one competition after another. The defeat against Tonga was an eye-opener. I don't know if we played beautiful rugby but we had 22 French players who really wanted to go on in this competition and today we have qualified for the semi-final. However, now we have to get ready for Wales."

By Adam Kyriacou at Eden Park

Australia will enter Sunday's World Cup quarter-final as favourites, according to Springbok coach Peter de Villiers.

After four victories out of their last five meetings against the Boks, including back-to-back successes on South African soil, De Villiers feels his team are the underdogs heading into this knockout match.

"What I would like to keep in mind is that they did win the last four games [out of five against us]," De Villiers said ahead of the crunch playoff in Wellington.

"I think they drew enough energy and confidence from those four games to make them the favourites."

Not even the shock 15-6 loss the Wallabies suffered against Ireland in the pool stages would have had any real influence to their superior status.

All the key players who missed that shock defeat were available for selection ahead of the third World Cup showdown between the great southern hemisphere rivals.

No team has ever won the William Webb Ellis trophy after losing a match en route to the final.

Nor has a reigning Tri-Nations champion had the honour of lifting the World Cup, and the Wallabies will look to break new ground.

"History will be created this weekend and we desperately want our piece of it," said a confident Australian coach Robbie Deans.

"There is no tomorrow unless you create one yourself."

The last time these sides met, in Durban, the Wallabies survived a thundering start by their hosts before recording a 14-9 victory.

The Springboks looked flustered in the final 30 minutes of the match and a lack of game time was cited for the loss.

"If we look at the reasons why we couldn't stay competitive for 80 minutes against them, those things are gone now," De Villiers insisted.

"If we can get the same start and the same intensity, we will be able to keep it up for 80 minutes and it will be a great contest."

While De Villiers had to reshuffle his side after losing centre Frans Steyn and lock Bakkies Botha to injury, Deans was able to select the exact same backline that saw his side home in Durban.

Wing Digby Ioane recovered from a broken thumb while centre Pat McCabe was included in the team despite having only recently recovered from a partially broken shoulder.

De Villiers predicted a cracking match.

"It is going to be a tough game," he said.

"It is going to be decided over the full 80 minutes and neither of the two teams is going to lie down."

De Villiers, after selecting the most experienced team in Bok history, believed his seasoned campaigners held the key to their success in the knockout stages.

"That is why we brought the experienced guys to the World Cup, when we needed cool and calm heads, that's what we got on the field and that is very important to us."

Springbok lock and vice-captain Victor Matfield says he can feel the pressure building ahead of Sunday's quarter-final clash with Australia.

A single upset in pool play has pitted Australia against South Africa in the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup, leaving both teams to contend with both the familiar and the unforeseeable.

They are regular rivals in Tri-Nations matches, of which Australia has won two this season and four out of five in the past two years.

But neither team expected to face each other this early in the World Cup knockout rounds and that eventuality has heightened tension in both camps ahead of Sunday's match at Wellington Regional Stadium.

"You can feel the pressure building," Matfield said.

"You could hear it in the streets last night, everyone coming in for the big game. It's all about handling that pressure and taking it into the game - using it as an advantage by taking energy from it."

Australia's loss to Ireland on Sept. 17 - the first and largest upset of the tournament's pool rounds until Tonga beat France - has forced world rugby's second- and third-ranked nations into sudden-death conflict much sooner than expected.

The tournament is now certain to lose one of its giants in the first knockout stage and one of their respective quests to make history will end. But Australia captain James Horwill said his team did not find the pressure oppressive.

"We've trained really well all week and all the boys are pretty switched on," he said.

"They understand what's at stake in the game ahead so we haven't really needed to speak about it any differently.

"We've had clarity with what we're doing. We just want to go out there and do it. The waiting game begins."

Both Australia and South Africa are attempting to become the first to win the World Cup three times: the Springboks by adding to their 1995 and 2007 victories and Australia to its 1991 and 1999 triumphs. South Africa is also bidding to become the first to win successive Cups.

Matfield said Saturday he felt an unusual amount of support for his side from New Zealanders.

"It feels like they're cheering us," Matfield said.

"It's the first time I've been to New Zealand when people are saying 'good luck.' I think they hate the Aussies more than they hate us."

Adding to the swirl of historic ambition, and the likelihood that the winner will face New Zealand in the semi-finals, is that the teams differ so greatly in experience and style.

The Springboks have selected the most experienced lineup in their history with the players totaling 837 test caps. It will be led by 2007 Cup-winning captain John Smit, who will play his 17th World Cup match on Sunday, more than any other South African.

Australia is a much younger side, though far from raw, and enters the match as Tri-Nation champion. It has also a number of the players - Quade Cooper, Will Genia and Digby Ioane among them - who won the Super 15 title with the Queensland Reds.

"The last word you'll use when you talk about Quade Cooper is 'predictable,'" South Africa center Jean de Villiers said.

"He's a quality player. We'll have to be on the look out and expect anything from him."

Those successes are substantial planks in the edifice of the Wallabies' confidence.

Even the uncontrollable issue of the weather will impact on the match, largely because of the divergence in the team's styles. If it is wet, as it has been in Wellington all week, it may suit the Springboks forwards; if dry, it might favor the Wallabies backs.

"If it's wet and raining and windy in the stadium, it will possibly play into our hands because it might nullify their quick, nippy backs," Springboks forwards coach Gary Gold said.

"But I think it's swings and roundabouts. There's aspects of that that may not work for us, for example kicks at (goal). I think it's going to be a very tight game and I think kicks are going to be important, so it's going to make life difficult for our kickers."

Until recently, the Springboks might have been expected to dominate the Wallabies forwards, but that wasn't so in Tri-Nations matches this season - although South Africa fielded weakened teams. Still, Australia has improved in the setpiece, particularly scrums, its bugbear.

"I say this with respect: Australian teams can live physically with the best teams in the world at the moment," Gold said. "I'm not necessarily sure that was the case four or five years ago.

"With it they've got, obviously, youth - they're a very young side - and with it they've got athleticism, so they're a team with exciting backs who can move you around the park and they've got forwards who can keep up with them."

Gold said the breakdown would likely be the definitive area, but South Africa would not give up on the scrum as a point of advantage.

"Look, the issue is we're going to have to exploit everything we can if we want to win this game," he said. "They're not Tri-Nations champions for nothing.

"They've played the top two teams in the world this season and they've beaten us both, and they're an outstanding outfit and every aspect of our game is going to have to be razor sharp if we want to come out on top."

Autralia coach Robbie Deans has been able to select a full-strength lineup after contending with injuries throughout pool play. The return of winger Digby Ioane especially is of significance as the Wallabies attack hinges to some extent on his presence and he stiffens their defense.

"The knockout phases of the World Cup are completely different to every other type of rugby we play," Deans said.

"The stakes are higher, the intensity greater and the margins between success and failure smaller."

Dejected Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll was left regretting missed opportunities as his team faltered at the World Cup quarter-finals.

O'Driscoll said they had only themselves to blame for a 22-10 defeat by a youthful Wales side, failing to secure a first-ever semi-final berth after making the last eight four times.

"It's very disappointing, both collectively and personally," said 32-year-old O'Driscoll.

"I won't get this opportunity again and that really sucks, but life goes on," the centre added.

This year's tournament is expected to be the World Cup swansong for O'Driscoll and fellow veterans Gordon D'Arcy, Ronan O'Gara, Donncha O'Callaghan and Paul O'Connell, once hailed as Irish rugby's 'golden generation'.

Ireland coach Declan Kidney described the shattered silence in the dressing room following a game when Wales' ferocious defence turned aside wave after wave of Irish attack.

"When you give your heart and sould to something and it doesn't work out it's just quietness (in the dressing room)," Kidney said.

"They're good men, they'll bounce back."

O'Driscoll said Ireland tired late in the first half after they chose not to kick three penalties and instead went searching for a try that only came when wing Keith Earls crossed in the second half.

"We felt we could keep the pressure on and backed our ability to drive over. That cost us a bit," he said.

"It hurts you a bit when you're going into half-time and you've been knocking on the door but not getting any points out of territory.

"We got ourselves into a position where we were level pegging (at 10-10 early in the second half) but then coughed up some very easy tries.

"We kind of shot ourselves in the foot."

O'Driscoll hailed the travelling Irish supporters, hundreds of whom performed a rousing rendition of the national anthem at the team hotel before joining a sea of green at Wellington Regional Stadium.

But he said Ireland were not good enough on the night and described Wales, who scored three tries through Shane Williams, Mike Phillips and Jonathan Davies, as worthy semi-finalists.

"You aren't owed anything, you have to go and earn everythting that you get in Test rugby and today we were off the pace and we go home as a result," O'Driscoll said.

"It's a bitter disappointment but you have to suck it up when you haven't performed on a big stage."

Prop Mike Ross said Ireland's stunning 15-6 victory over Australia in Auckland during the pool stages meant they could take some positives from the tournament.

"We finished top of the pool for the first time and set ourselves up for the best possible chance of getting ourselves to the semi-final," he said.

"We know we can beat teams from the southern hemisphere now."

Wales coach Warren Gatland hailed his team as a balanced side comprising fearless youth and hard-nosed experience after their 22-10 victory over Ireland in the World Cup quarter-final on Saturday.

The Welsh outscored the Irish by three tries to one, dominating the loose and offering up some sterling defence that gave no quarter.

Wales led 10-3 at half-time thanks to an early Shane Williams try converted by Rhys Priestland and a Leigh Halfpenny penalty, but a Keith Earls five-pointer converted by Ronan O'Gara drew Ireland level early in the second half.

But the Irish flagged in the closing period, allowing Wales in for two tries from Mike Phillips and Jonathan Davies.

"The boys knew that we were either going home on Monday or we're here until the end of the tournament, so that was the motivation," Gatland said.

"We're not ready to go home yet," added the New Zealander, himself a former Ireland coach

"We know we're in good shape physically. We felt we've got better and better as this competition has gone on."

The team, Gatland explained, had benefited from the influx of young players, notably teenage wing George North and 23-year-old captain Sam Warburton, and also the fact the World Cup was in New Zealand and not the 'goldfish bowl' of Wales.

"There's no baggage. There's no fear factor," he said of the raft of players in their early 20s.

"But there's also a nice balance with some great forwards, with their size and speed, forwards who can carry, and experience up front.

"The youngsters express themselves, they have no fear and there's a nice mix with some older players. The balance is the best we've ever had.

"We were very confident before the game, without sounding too arrogant, that we were capable of winning the game reasonably comfortably.

"The great thing is that we're in New Zealand, we're not in the bubble that's Wales so we're not listening to the pundits every day, we're not listening to the negativity that sometimes comes out of Wales."

He also singled out the fact that his team had been drawn in a tough pool alongside defending champions South Africa as one of the reasons they were hitting form at the right time.

"It was a very, very tough pool and to come out of it will have held you in very good stead for a quarter-final and hopefully a semi-final," he said.

"That first game we lost to South Africa, it could have gone either way (the Springboks won 17-16), and since that we've built momentum.

"In the two wins against Namibia and Fiji, we showed a ruthlessness that we may not have shown in the past.

"In the first-half, our defence was absolutely outstanding. It shows what good shape the boys are in."

Asked if it would be tough to keep the Wales team grounded ahead of their first appearance in the last four since the inaugural World Cup in 1987, Gatland said: "I don't think it's going to be hard at all."

Warburton, while elated with the victory, said all thoughts would now turn to what lay ahead.

"We're here for another two weeks now, we have to refocus on Monday and look forward to the semi-final," the Cardiff Blues flanker said.

"We haven't won anything yet."

France bounced back from last week's humiliation to stun England at Eden Park, winning 19-12 to advance to the 2011 Rugby World Cup semi-finals.

England were second best as they could not make it three finals in a row, while les Bleus deservedly march on to face Wales next week.

First-half tries from Vincent Clerc and Maxime Medard ultimately gave France a 16-0 cushion that England could not claw their way back from.

Going into the game, Jonny Wilkinson was hovering on a dismal 45 per cent tournament kicking record while Toby Flood had kicked 62.5 per cent. In stark comparison, France scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili was considered a sharp shooter at 81.25 in conditions that went against the initial forecast. Statistics would not matter though at Eden Park as neither Flood nor Wilkinson were given an opportunity to improve their averages during the whole 40 minutes of the first period.

In fact - as these midweek subplots have a way of working out - Wilkinson was afforded just a single attempt at goal during his 65 minutes on the field.

A great deal had been made of Martin Johnson's decision to employ Flood outside Wilkinson, with many predicting a kicking style from the team in white. But in fact it was the distribution the Tiger offered that was apparent for the 2003 champions as Flood showed a longer, flatter pass that allowed outside centre Manu Tuilagi and full-back Ben Foden to hit the line in the same fashion Chris Ashton did against Scotland the week previously.

But like England's backline, this was not the same France that fell to Tonga as passes went to hand, running lines were excellent and more importantly, they were putting points on the board. Two successful attempts from Biarritz's Yachvili pushed them 6-0 ahead in a frantic opening seventeen minutes.

Yachvili did have the opportunity to extend the lead before the quarter but drifted his third shot to the right of the uprights. France might not have cared in truth as they were controlling all facets of play. Two scrum penalties, ample territory and also heaps of possession were the catalysts to their march while England were not helping themselves in losing three early line-outs, which ultimately came back to haunt them when Toulouse's Clerc sliced down the left wing, brushing off the attempted last-ditch tackle of Foden to score in the corner.

Slowly but surely England were managing to get themselves a foothold in the game though, with the 11-0 score not looking too daunting for a side that had shown they were more than capable of coming from behind in this World Cup. A mini period of possession in French territory gave them hope but then came the moment that made Marc Lievremont stand up and applaud. A rumble through the heart of England's tight five was duly shifted left where superb work by winger Alexis Palisson drew three tacklers before he handed the ball back inside to grateful recipient Medard. 16-0 and England were well-and-truly on the rack.

Some home truths were needed at half-time or England would be going home. Graham Rowntree had to work some of the magic that halted Euan Murray while Brian Smith was required to instill a cutting edge in the backs instead of just nice passing. Neither were achieved for the opening fifteen minutes as Johnson threw on trio Courtney Lawes, Simon Shaw and Alex Corbisiero for Tom Croft, Louis Deacon and Matt Stevens respectively.

But then arrived the moment the majority of the largely-filled stadium had been waiting for as a sustained passage of play, which was sparked by scrum-half Ben Youngs' quick tap, saw Shaw involved before Foden cut a line to go in under the posts. Wilkinson's extras made it 16-7 with ample time to go.

Cue the French offending, with referee Steve Walsh having words with skipper Thierry Dusautoir after an English jumper was handled in the air. The looming question was whether les Bleus would begin to capitulate or not? They did not and swiftly set about attempting to strike back, comforted by the knowledge that they were still two scores ahead of their rivals, who were ringing the changes by bringing off Youngs and captain Moody for James Haskell and Richard Wigglesworth. Even fly-half Wilkinson was cut from the action as Johnson looked to throw his kitchen sink of a replacements bench at France.

It proved fruitless before French substitute Francois Trinh-Duc did a Wilkinson on England by slotting a drop-goal that took the game beyond reach at 19-7. England did set up a grandstand finish when Mark Cueto was adjudged to have grounded the ball over the line after television match official approval, but it was all too little too late as France prevailed to set up a mouth-watering semi-final clash with Wales at the same venue next Saturday.

Man of the match: Plenty of heart was shown by France - even when the going was tough - and no one epitomised that more than Julien Bonnaire. The flank tackled all night for his country, putting in key hits to halt England gaining any sustainable momentum.

Moment of the match: The step and assist from Alexis Palisson. It was magic from the French winger as he set up Maxime Medard for a key score just after the half-hour mark.

Villain of the match: Scratch villain for disappointment. Large pockets of grey seats were evident at Eden Park as the quarter-final was not sold out.

The scorers:

For England:
Tries: Foden, Cueto
Con: Wilkinson

For France:
Tries: Clerc, Medard
Pens: Yachvili 2
Drop: Trinh-Duc

England: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Toby Flood, 11 Mark Cueto, 10 Jonny Wilkinson, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Nick Easter, 7 Lewis Moody, 6 Tom Croft, 5 Tom Palmer, 4 Louis Deacon, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Steve Thompson, 1 Matt Stevens.
Replacements: 16 Dylan Hartley, 17 Alex Corbisiero, 18 Courtney Lawes, 19 Simon Shaw, 20 James Haskell, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Matt Banahan.

France: 15 Maxime Médard, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Aurélien Rougerie, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Alexis Palisson, 10 Morgan Parra, 9 Dimitri Yachvili, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Julien Bonnaire, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Pascal Pape, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Jean-Baptiste Poux.
Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Fabien Barcella, 18 Julien Pierre, 19 Louis Picamoles, 20 Francois Trinh-Duc, 21 David Marty, 22 Cédric Heymans.

Referee: Steve Walsh
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland, George Clancy
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman

By Adam Kyriacou at Eden Park

Wales broke Irish hearts after booking their place in the Rugby World Cup semi-finals thanks to a 22-10 victory in Wellington on Saturday.

In what was a breathless encounter in the New Zealand capital, the Welsh outscored Ireland by three tries to one to seal a semi-final spot on rugby's biggest stage for the first time since 1987.

It was tough to predict a winner before the start of this quarter-final, but it was clear from the kick-off which team would be marching on to Auckland and who would be heading home in arguably the game of the tournament.

It was simple: Wales took their chances, Ireland did not.

Outstanding defence from the Welsh also paved the way to victory with Luke Charteris and talismanic Sam Warburton immense in the tackle - frustrating the Irish as a solid red wall kept them out.

Wales roared out of the starting blocks and made the perfect start possible after wing Shane Williams went over for the game's opening try in the corner with barely two minutes up on the clock.

It was a team effort, with the Welsh counter-attacking from a turnover. The ball was sent high by pivot Rhys Priestland and then taken and carried strongly by Jamie Roberts, who fended off Donncha O'Callaghan - from there, Ireland were always on the backfoot.

A sea of red jerseys flooded Ireland's tryline, before the pigskin was sent through the hands out to left wing Williams waiting on the right and he finished off. The TMO was called in to confirm, but there was never any doubt. The swirling wind couldn't prevent Priestland from slotting over the touchline conversion to hand his team a 7-0 lead after three minutes played.

The shell-shocked Irish composed themselves and made their way towards Wales' dangerzone, where they turned down three penalty attempts at goal only for the Welsh to thwart every attack thrown at them from Ireland's catch and drive at the line-out.

Ireland finally gave in to three points from bang in front and Ronan O'Gara put his team on the board in the 24th minute. However, Wales stretched their lead back to seven points thanks to a monster penalty effort from full-back Leigh Halfpenny on halfway.

Ireland, playing with more possession and territory, failed to convert pressure into points and trailed their Celtic rivals 3-10 at half-time.

The start to the second half proved to be more pleasant than the first for Ireland, who gave Wales a taste of their own medicine by making the ideal start by crossing the whitewash early on.

At first it seemed that Ireland had made a mess of it as Tommy Bowe's pass to Keith Earls hit the deck and rolled towards the Irishman. But Earls did well to pick up and turn on the gas with little space to work with , before sliding over in the corner. Again, the TMO was brought into play, and again he gave the green light.

O'Gara showed he was just as able to nail conversions from the sideline and punched the air as the ball sailed between the uprights to level the scores. 10-10!

But Wales scrum-half Mike Phillips restored Wales' lead with a clever dart down the blindside from a ruck 15 metres out. The number nine fended off Gordon D'Arcy and launched himself spectacularly for the line, dotting down one handed as Bowe came in with the tackle.

Priestland's conversion drifted wide and the fly-half, whose form has seen him keep Stephen Jones and James Hook out of the team, then saw a 58th minute penalty come back off the upright.

Ireland were then caught napping out wide and a quick ball from Phillips found Priestland, who offloaded to centre Jonathan Davies. The centre split through Cian Healy and Earls, before shaking off Eoin Reddan's weak tackle for a fine individual try.

Priestland hit the conversion to make it 22-10 with 15 minutes to play.

The Irish threw everything but the kitchen sink at Wales in the last quarter of the match, but poor decisions - which summed up their match - either saw penalties given away, or balls being spilled thanks to some steely defence and superiority at the breakdown from the Welsh.

Wales, knocked out of the last World Cup four years ago at the group stage, now await the winner between England and France at Eden Park.

Man of the match: Wales captain Sam Warburton excelled in the loose and centre Jamie Roberts stood out as a midfield battering ram, but we felt Leigh Halfpenny had a blinder at full-back for the Welsh. Cool, calm and collected - Halfpenny was simply sublime.

Moment of the match: Shane Williams' opening try set the scene for what was to come, but Jonathan Davies put the icing on the cake at the Cake Tin with his match-winning score.

Villain of the match: The wind! It was nasty.

The scorers:

For Ireland:
Tries: Earls
Cons: O'Gara
Pens: O'Gara

For Wales:
Tries: S Williams, Phillips, Davies
Cons: Priestland 2
Pens: Halfpenny

Ireland: 15 Robert Kearney, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Brian O'Driscoll (capt), 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Ronan O'Gara, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sean O'Brien, 6 Stephen Ferris, 5 Paul O'Connell, 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Tom Court, 18 Donnacha Ryan, 19 Denis Leamy, 20 Eoin Reddan, 21 Jonathan Sexton, 22 Andrew Trimble.

Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Shane Williams, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Toby Faletau, 7 Sam Warburton (c), 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Alun-Wyn Jones, 4 Luke Charteris, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Huw Bennett, 1 Gethin Jenkins.
Replacements: 16 Lloyd Burns, 17 Paul James, 18 Bradley Davies, 19 Ryan Jones, 20 Lloyd Williams, 21 James Hook, 22 Scott Williams.

Referee: Craig Joubert

Richie McCaw calmed New Zealand's public ahead of their meeting with Argentina by saying his troublesome foot was not a problem after all.

McCaw pulled out of two Pool matches as he continued to be troubled, dating back to surgery for a stress fracture at the start of the year.

With Dan Carter (groin) already out, New Zealand could ill-afford to lose their captain and three-times world player of the year as well, and McCaw said on Saturday that wasn't going to happen.

"I'm good to go," the 30-year-old flanker insisted.

"The foot feels good after a bit of rest at the end of last week and over the weekend so I trained on it yesterday (Friday) and it's good."

His assurance came a day after conflicting signals from All Blacks Graham Henry who said McCaw faced a "big mental challenge" and it was "a matter of trying to make sure he's available" for each remaining game.

Earlier, assistant coach Steve Hansen said McCaw was being kept away from "physical, hard, body-contact stuff" in training.

Hansen's use of the word "pain" sent alarm bells through New Zealand with the country desperate to end a 24-year run without the World Cup, but McCaw denied he required painkillers and dispelled the notion he was in agony.

"I think a little much has been made of that to be quite honest," said McCaw, who in the Pool win over France became the first player to appear in 100 Tests for New Zealand.

"It comes and goes. I said it's only a niggle so it's not as though you're running round with something excruciating.

"Every rugby player deals with niggles over their careers. I've done it for 10 years at times and probably everyone's getting a bit excited about it.

"It's frustrating, there's no doubt when you've got things that are not quite right, but you just deal with them."

McCaw said he had trained with the team on Friday and felt confident he knew how to get his body in shape for a big match.

The All Blacks are heavily favoured to beat Argentina and go on to win the tournament but are mindful the side has failed at the past five World Cups after starting as favourites.

McCaw, who was also captain when New Zealand were knocked out by France in the 2007 quarter-finals, admitted to a few nerves ahead of the Argentina game but said he did not find the pressure of sudden-death rugby inhibiting.

"If you feel that burden or pressure you're not going to, first of all, enjoy it all and you're not going to go out and perform well," he said.

"We've got to see this as an opportunity and we've got to look at what we've done as a rugby team, how you've played and the confidence you've got in the guys around you and make sure we put that on the field."

The All Blacks would be watching what they could of the other three quarter-finals - Ireland v Wales, England v France and Australia v South Africa - but won't get emotionally involved.

"You don't want to get caught up in what might happen," McCaw said, with many New Zealand fans already looking forward to an all Tri-Nations encounter against either the Wallabies or the reigning champion Springboks in the semi-finals.

"So you watch it purely from a spectator point of view, while preparing as you would for a Test match, to go out and play well and, after that, what will be will be."

Wales has the chance to emulate past glory when it takes on Ireland in the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday. The Irish have a chance to do something entirely new.

While Wales is seeking to match the 1987 side that reached the semifinals of the inaugural tournament in 1987, Ireland has never made it beyond the quarterfinals.

A long history of failure could overpower either side in Wellington, but both teams are approaching the occasion with optimism and enthusiasm rather than caution.

"What has been great about this World Cup is that we've got a lot of youngsters with no fear factor," Wales coach Warren Gatland said.

"They have got no history as well. We have just encouraged them to make the right decisions.

"We've talked about times when you want to be smart, play territory and the weather conditions, but if you feel there is an opportunity to move and play, you want to encourage that."

Wales has an inferior overall record to Ireland at this year's tournament, having lost one of its four pool matches, but there is no suggestion from either side that the Welsh fit the role of underdogs.

They beat Ireland in the Six Nations, came within a single point of defending champion South Africa in their World Cup opener and out-scored the Irish in the pool stage by 23 tries to 15.

"They genuinely play what they see in front of them and if they see a gap they'll go for it," forwards coach Robin McBryde said.

"Experience is an advantage in some cases but it can be a disadvantage when you've got the same old faces searching for the same old answers."

Hailed for years for adventurous play even in unsuitable circumstances, Wales has managed to mostly combine that urge to run at World Cup opponents with a newfound pragmatism - picking its moments wisely without losing its edge.

"The coaches have said all summer just to play with our heads up," fly-half Rhys Priestland said.

"We have to get a good balance, but if it is on to run from deep in our own half then we have to back ourselves."

While Ireland has opted for the kicking and steadying influence of Ronan O'Gara at number 10, Gatland has selected Priestland as his fulcrum.

Priestland, who had been selected at fullback for the national team another player was injured minutes before the start of August's opening warm-up against England, combines the head-up playmaking of James Hook and the pragmatic authority of veteran Stephen Jones - saving Gatland from his apparent difficulty in choosing between those two.

Hook is on the bench and Jones has been omitted entirely from Wales' 22-man match squad.

"All summer the coaches asked me to run at full-back because they said at the World Cup you need players who can play in more than one position," Priestland said.

"I have always thought I was a 10. I never really thought I was a fullback, but I learnt last year and the year before that you can't say no to any position. I was just happy to play."

Leigh Halfpenny, who has been picked at full-back ahead of both Hook and Lee Byrne, could be in for a testing match if O'Gara pumps the ball into the corners.

"If it is wet and windy I would imagine they are going to put it up quite a bit. But who knows? They could run it," said Halfpenny.

"It has been very windy in most of the places we have played in this World Cup and it can be a factor."

O'Gara, who has been picked ahead of the arguably more incisive Jonathan Sexton, is far more than just a kicker but his 1,070 international points and ability to place the ball accuracy could be crucial if Wellington provides the wet and windy weather for which it is famed.

"O'Gara is probably one of the best kickers of the ball in the game," Priestland said.

"He gives Ireland a lot when he plays. We are going to have to try to manage him and make sure he doesn't keep putting Ireland in the corners and putting us under pressure.

"Usually, I've been at the wrong end of the result when I have played against him. Hopefully, it will be different this weekend."

Halfpenny's inclusion ahead of Byrne is one of five changes to that which beat Fiji 66-0 in its last match in Pool D.

Jonathan Davies takes over from Scott Williams at outside center and Shane Williams returns from injury to reclaim his place on the left wing. Dan Lydiate has also overcome an injury to take over on the blindside from Ryan Jones, who moves to the bench, while Alun-Wyn Jones rejoins Luke Charteris in the second row, pushing Bradley Davies into the reserves.

Ireland, which has won nine of the teams' last 12 meetings and beat Tri-Nation champion Australia in the pool stage, has picked an unchanged side after hooker Rory Best completed a remarkable recovery from a right shoulder injury sustained in last weekend's 36-6 win over Italy.

"Rory's come up great," Ireland defense coach Les Kiss said.

"We obviously had some precautions in place and were ready to cover but he's in tip top shape. Full credit to him and full credit to the medics. He's fine to start."

Wales' 49-6 loss to New Zealand in 1987 remains the only appearance by either side in the World Cup semifinals, with Ireland having fallen four times in the quarterfinals. With England playing France in the other match on their side of the draw, the Celtic teams know there will be a northern hemisphere side in the final and that it could be them.

"It'll be a 60-minute plus game," Kiss said. "You'll need to be there or thereabouts and the last 20 minutes will sort it out. It's a hard one to pick."

The only way Australia's dangerous back-line players will have an impact on Sunday's Rugby World Cup quarter-final is if South Africa open the door for them.

This is according to Springbok centre Jaque Fourie, who will partner Jean de Villiers in South Africa's midfield.

"Sure, they have exciting runners throughout their team, but our defence has always been solid," Fourie said.

"We hold the record for the least points conceded in the World Cup, and would like to keep it that way. We just have to stay in our pattern."

The broad-shouldered centre, having taken a lot of the responsibility of organising the Springbok line, was undoubtedly set to step it up a notch at Wellington's Cake Tin.

"All our focus is on this game and it is do-or-die," Fourie said.

"We don't want to go home, we want to go all the way."

He attributed a lot of the team's success to the principles that assistant coach Jacques Nienaber had introduced and the hard work he had put in with the team.

Meanwhile, the solution to the Quade Cooper conundrum, Fourie believed, lay in neutralising Wallaby scrum-half Will Genia.

"Genia is always around rucks and Jacques has emphasised that," he said.

"So the faster we set in, the quicker we get into position and slow down their rucks, and the better it will be for us.

"They have a few steppers, which will make things tougher, and we will have to close up quicker with the guys inside, but the harder we work on defence the harder they have to work on attack.

"But we don't want to defend all the time. We would also like to take the ball through phases."

Fourie said the role fetcher Heinrich Brussow would play, in ensuring the Wallabies were deprived of quick first-phase ball, would be vital to their cause.

He also highlighted that defensive astuteness would mean little without killer instinct on attack.

"Like in all Tests, it is important to start well, be effective in your execution and use the chances," he said.

"You only get two or three opportunities in a game, and if you don't use them, it will bite you in the butt."

On the eve of the World Cup clash between Australia and South Africa, Adam Kyriacou chatted with former Bok forward Pedrie Wannenburg.

30-year-old Wannenburg played 20 times for his country before moving overseas to Ulster, where he has quickly become a mainstay at Ravenhill.

But despite a Test career that started in 2002 and ended in 2007, Wannenburg has missed out on ever appearing on a Rugby World Cup stage.

He has been a keen observer of events in New Zealand however and believes the Boks should have enough in the tank to book a semi-final.

"I'm really impressed with the way the guys are playing right now. They struggled against Samoa but I'm sure they will be ready this week," he said.

"I think South Africa will attack Australia up front and will also throw some surprises at them. They will stick to the game that has worked for them over the last couple of years."

One of the key scraps will be the battle between David Pocock and Heinrich Brüssow, which Wannenburg agrees could be critical.

"This battle is going to be the talk of the World Cup. Both are really good players and keen to get their hands in the rucks and win a few balls for their team. I can't wait," he continued.

"Bakkies (Botha) is a loss to the Boks though. He brings a lot of aggression but Danie (Rossouw) is playing good rugby at the moment. He's always a class performer. The two are different players and bring different elements to South Africa's game."

The loss of Francois Steyn could hurt the Springboks on Sunday, not least because they may lose penalty points from long-range attempts. But what has also been an interesting subplot is how Fourie du Preez is under pressure from young star Francois Hougaard.

"Fourie is the guy who steps up when it comes to the semis and finals. The supporters will see the Fourie they know this weekend," Wannenburg assured South African fans.

"Hougaard is close to making the team. He is good for the Springboks when coming off the bench though and will soon get his starting jersey on a more permanent basis."

All Black fly-half Colin Slade may be faced with one of the most unenviable tasks - replacing Daniel Carter - but it's one he's relishing.

Having waited in the wings behind Carter first at Canterbury where he began his career and then with the All Blacks, Slade will get his chance to show his worth when New Zealand face Argentina on Sunday.

However, the circumstances are not ideal, with Carter ruled out of the World Cup due to a groin injury. With many believing that the All Blacks' hopes of winning the competition ended with Carter's injury, the pressure is on his replacement.

Having been largely written off, Slade is determined to show he's up to the task.

"It's an opportunity and it's one I've got to think positively about.I can't be any way burdened by it - I've got to be excited about it," he said.

"It is an opportunity. I wasn't expecting it, I don't think anyone else was, either, but that's the way it's worked out. It's what every young fellow dreams of - to play in a World Cup, albeit through the disappointment of DC's injury."

"I'm a young guy but I'm pretty enthusiastic about it and pretty excited about the opportunity," he said. "I'm going out there to be me - I'm not going out there to be DC.

"I'm going to play my game and lead the team the best way I know how. I want to go out there and assert myself from the start of the game. Sometimes things don't come off and you take a step back and breathe and relax.

"My job out there is to direct the team on the field and knowing that I'm going to start from the beginning of the game makes it a little bit easier to prepare for."

The All Black camp have reiterated their belief in Slade time and time again over the past week and centre Conrad Smith believes that the players should - and do - back whoever the coaches feel is up to the task.

"Everyone trusts you've been picked by the selectors and that you've got the quality to handle pressure situations that come with being an All Black," explained Smith.

"Regardless of the position you don't need to help them. They'll step up. You've got to have faith in them and that way, if they're good enough, they'll return the favour.

"That's what Sladey's done and that's what countless players have done in the All Black jersey. You put trust in them and you put faith in them and they deliver and that's when the team really functions."

If Argentina beat New Zealand in Sunday's World Cup quarter-final in Auckland, I'll eat my favourite Pumas replica jersey.

I really love that jersey - complete with the ice cream and red wine stains picked up in Buenos Aires - but I couldn't be more confident that it'll see plenty more years service from it.

I'll admit it, I'm a Pumas fan. Much as I hate the way they play the game, I love what they represent in world rugby: the growing global appeal of the sport and the power of a never-say-die attitude. The fact that they have been punching above their weight for the last decade, is a tribute to the fighting spirit that makes this game great.

But they won't beat the All Blacks.

For all their tenacity, the Pumas simply do not have the necessary weapons to trouble the World Cup favourites - and favourites they remain, with or without Dan Carter.

While Argentina are a symbol of how far combativeness can get you, New Zealand are very much the benchmark by which all teams measure themselves. This generation is as good - if not better - than any other to come before them and their time to shine has come (for real this time).

Those who are suggesting that the loss of His Fly-halfness signalled the demised of the hosts' hopes are totally misguided. Sure Colin Slade is not DC, not by a long shot, but one man a team does not maketh.

The All Blacks have no weaknesses - at least none that Argentina have the resources to exploit. The Pumas' forward-oriented game, centred largely on kicking penalties and spoiling tactics, might be enough to trouble many teams - and it brought them within inches of beating England - but it won't be enough to stop Graham Henry's men in black.

Trying to contain the All Blacks simply won't get a positive result. In many pundits' opinion, only the Springboks can beat the hosts because they are the only team capable of putting them under sufficient pressure to force mistakes.

Los Pumas will be fired up like never before - what a sight it will be to behold - but all the passion in the world is no substitute for clinical execution.

To beat New Zealand you must score tries, because they sure as hell will. The All Blacks have touched down in each of their last 93 Test matches... so defending and kicking three-pointers is never going to be enough.

The pool stages won't offer much encouragement for the visitors, since Argentina were the only one of the eight quarter-finalists that failed to score 100 points in their opening four games.

Argentina have never beaten New Zealand. Granted, they came close in their last clash, but that was five years ago, in Argentina, and with arguably a stronger team - certainly a younger one.

The average age of the Pumas has been a concern for some time now and just how long they will be able to keep up with the pace at which the All Blacks play the game will ultimately determine the scoreline.

It'll be an emotional day for many members of the Argentina side as they play probably their last game for their country. An over abundance of emotion + a trouble-stirring front row = trouble?

Players to watch:

For New Zealand: An obvious choice here. Colin Slade has the biggest boots in world rugby to fill. Will he be up to the task? His back-line coach Wayne Smith said it best when he advised the 23-year-old not try imitate the great man, but to just be himself and back his own talent. Easier said than done with the world watching! Having an experienced head like Piri Weepu on his inside will certainly help. Slade has the skill set, we'll find out soon enough if he has the stomach for the big occasion.

For Argentina: In what is very likely to be his last game in the blue and white hoops, take your hat off for Mario Ledesma, one of the best hookers to have played the game, ever. Ledesma will equal the World Cup record for appearances by a hooker, playing his 18th match to draw level with former France stalwart Raphael Ibanez. At 38, Super Mario is a little past his prime but you couldn't ask for a bigger heart. After being the cornerstone of the Puma's immovable scrum for fifteen years, Ledesma will leave everything he has left on field on Sunday. Look out!

Head-to-head: Two true stars of the world game face-off as Ma'a Nonu and Felipe Contepomi do battle in midfield. Nonu made more clean breaks (13) than any other player in the pool stages and is sure test his opposite number's defence. But Contepomi has been around the block a few times and is a tough man to beat. Apart from playing an instrumental role in directing the Pumas' attack, he is their main source of points and needs just five points to overtake Puma great Hugo Porta as Argentina's all-time leading points-scorer.

Previous results:

2006: New Zealand won 25-19 in Buenos Aires
2004: New Zealand won 41-7 in Hamilton
2001: New Zealand won 24-20 in Buenos Aires
2001: New Zealand won 67-19 in Christchurch
1997: New Zealand won 62-10 in Hamilton
1997: New Zealand won 93-8 in Wellington
1991: New Zealand won 36-6 in Buenos Aires
1991: New Zealand won 28-14 in Buenos Aires
1989 New Zealand won 49-12 in Wellington
1989: New Zealand won 60 -9 in Dunedin

Prediction: This will be the second World Cup meeting between these sides: New Zealand won 46-15 in the pool stages of the 1987 tournament. Considering the massive progress Argentina have made since then, it's unlikely we'll see a similar margin but the result will stay the same. New Zealand by 20 points!

The teams:

New Zealand: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Sonny Bill Williams, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Brad Thorn, 4 Samuel Whitelock, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Ali Williams, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Jimmy Cowan, 21 Aaron Cruden, 22 Isaia Toeava.

Argentina: 15 Martín Rodríguez, 14 Gonzalo Camacho, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Felipe Contepomi (capt), 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 Santiago Fernández, 9 Nicolás Vergallo, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 6 Julio Farias Cabello, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Manuel Carizza, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Mario Ledesma, 1 Rodrigo Roncero.
Replacements: 16 Agustín Creevy, 17 Martín Scelzo, 18 Marcos Ayerza, 19 Alejandro Campos, 20 Alfredo Lalanne, 21 Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, 22 Juan Jose Imhoff.

Date: Sunday, October 9
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 20.30 (07.30 GMT)
Weather: Dry but cloudy, Daytime Max 16°, evening low 10°C
Referee: Nigel Owens
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan, George Clancy
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman

By Ross Hastie

And then there were eight! South Africa and Australia resume a long-standing rivalry when the two southern hemisphere heavyweights clash in Sunday's Rugby World Cup quarter-final at Wellington's Regional Stadium.

It's a mouth-watering encounter, but one that was never anticipated before the start of the tournament until Ireland split the road to the final into a southern and northern hemisphere highway after shocking the Wallabies (and perhaps everyone else for that matter) in their Pool C hit-out three weeks ago.

Australia's 15-6 defeat at the hands of the Irish effectively consigned them to a do-or-die battle against reigning champions South Africa, who finished the group stage of the competition unbeaten.

The South Africans booked their place in the play-offs after scraping through their opening game against Wales, but they looked far more impressive in the wins over Namibia, Fiji and Samoa.

Keeping things tight has not only given the Springboks those four wins out of four, but also the best defensive record from the pool phase - conceding just 24 points, ten fewer than the next stingiest defences of England, Ireland and Wales. Not conceding points is a good habit for teams to get into, as all previous World Cup winners have been among the top five defensive sides at the end of the group stages.

The Wallabies (48 points conceded) have had a more turbulent time in progressing to the knockouts - a win over Italy in the second half and a loss to Ireland, was followed by costly victories against the USA and Russia that saw two players sent home injured and several more in the casualty ward.

The Boks haven't had the pleasure of side-stepping injuries of their own and suffered a major blow to their campaign when losing in-form centre Frans Steyn and, most recently, veteran lock Bakkies Botha.

The injury-hit outfits must now pick themselves up for one of the most eagerly awaited World Cup spectacles of the weekend, which after 80 minutes will decide who stays on to fight another day and who goes home.

The Springboks have lost five of the last six Tests against their Tri-Nations counterparts, but as shown many times on the World Cup stage - previous results mean absolutely nothing when there's a semi-final at stake. And on neutral ground, this game is certainly anyone's for the taking.

Both teams have been crowned world champions twice, and are gunning for a record three championship titles.

The last time these sides met at a World Cup - in 1999 - South Africa were defending their crown only to be knocked out in the semi-finals by Australia (who went on to lift the Webb Ellis Cup for a second time - a record back then).

Fast forward 12 years later, and again we find ourselves in a similar scenario: defending champs South Africa versus the Wallabies in a knockout match, however this time a place in the last four will be up for grabs.

History sure has a funny way of repeating itself, but not unless the wise old owls of the Springbok team have anything to say about it when they tackle the baby-faced Wallabies who, with the youngest squad in the tournament, will take on the most experienced Test team of all-time.

Only six members of Australia's matchday 22 played in the 2007 quarter-final exit to England in Marseille, whilst the rest of current squad played no part in the tournament four years ago.

South Africa's selection includes eight players who started in the 2007 Rugby World Cup Final as well as three players who were part of the squad. Only Pat Lambie, Morne Steyn and Heinrich Brüssow of the starting team were not involved in 2007, while Pierre Spies was originally selected but had to withdraw due to illness.

But whilst South Africa can boast more World Cup caps on their CV, a full-strength Wallabies outfit is always a dangerous one and the return of David Pocock, Stephen Moore and Digby Ioane - three influential players that missed the Ireland game - will be a welcome boost for Australia.

The Wallabies know their shock loss to Ireland has left them walking the finals tightrope in the horror southern hemisphere side of the draw, but the Tri-Nations champions will draw much confidence from the return of the above mentioned trio.

It also means that with a full-strength line-up back on deck for the Australians, coach Robbie Deans must accept there can be no excuses for a disastrous World Cup quarter-final exit.

Speaking of coaches, Peter de Villiers faces the biggest challenge of his four-year career as boss of the Springboks. The thin line between success and failure has never been as apparent as now.

"Australia won't be easy, but they will be easier," said De Villiers.

"There are two reasons for this. Firstly they won't be as physical as Samoa, but they will try to be. It is just Samoa who can be as physical as that, because it's part of its nature.

"Secondly, we understand Australia and we know what they do. We've been playing them for years, and they're not likely to change anything this coming week. For them it will be easier and for us it will be easier."

The Boks have made no secret that their setpieces will be the basis for their attack, and armed with a stingy scramble defence, they will feel assured that they have the firepower to beat the Wallabies.

However, whilst the men in green and gold pack a punch up front, the Wallabies can deal a knock-out blow with their ruthless backs who ran South Africa ragged in Sydney two months ago - albeit against a second-string Bok team.

But whether it's up front or in the backs, one thing's for sure is that there will only be few opportunities to win this match come kick-off on Sunday and the team that is up for it and ready to take those chances will be the one that will be staying.

Ones to watch:

For South Africa: The big talking point leading into this quarter-final was the loss of Frans Steyn and how South Africa's back-line will cope without his physical presence on attack and defence. Jean de Villiers was the first-choice centre before his injury against Wales, and now returns to the Bok midfield with some mighty big boots to fill. In the forwards, the injury to Bakkies Botha could be a blessing in disguise for SA as it keeps big Danie Rossouw - arguably the Springboks' player of the tournament - in the starting line-up.

For Australia: In the backs, keep an eye out for tackle-busting wing Digby Ioane who returns to the fray after recovering from a broken thumb. With the wet weather that has been hanging over Wellington this week set to clear by Sunday, the Wallabies will be intent of getting the ball wide to their strike runner more often than not. Up front, Stephen Moore will make sure the Aussie scrum (that took a battering against the Irish), only goes one way when the two front rows lock horns in the New Zealand capital.

Head to head: Heinrich Brüssow v David Pocock. A colossal forward battle is expected at the Cake Tin. Both flankers are vital weapons for their respective teams and will be major forces once again at the breakdown. The Wallabies have consistently punished the Springboks from situations where they've turned the ball over in this area, and Pocock will no doubt be a sharp thorn in the Boks' side. Closing that gate before the Wallabies get loose in the paddock will be one of the keys to shutting down Australia., and Brüssow will have a big job on his hands.

Recent results:
2011: Australia won 14-9, Durban
2011: Australia won 39-20, Sydney
2010: Australia won 41-39, Bloemfontein
2010: South Africa won 44-31, Pretoria
2010: Australia won 30-13, Brisbane
2009: Australia won 21-6, Brisbane
2009: South Africa won 32-25, Perth
2009: South Africa won 29-17, Cape Town
2008: South Africa won 53-8, Johannesburg
2008: Australia won 27-15, Durban

Prediction: Like all the quarter-finals this weekend (bar NZ v Argentina), this is too tough to call! It's a game worthy of a final with the side ranked second in the world taking on the team ranked third. There won't be much in it, and we expect this knockout to go down to the wire which could then be a battle of the fittest. Australia to win by four points!

The teams:

South Africa: 15 Pat Lambie, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 John Smit (c), 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Willem Alberts, 19 François Louw, 20 François Hougaard, 21 Butch James, 22 Gio Aplon.

Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 James O'Connor, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Radike Samo, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 James Horwill (c), 4 Dan Vickerman, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Sekope Kepu.

Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota Nau, 17 James Slipper, 18 Nathan Sharpe, 19 Ben McCalman, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Berrick Barnes, 22 Anthony Fainga'a.

Date: Sunday, October 9
Venue: Regional Stadium, Wellington
Kick-off: 18.00 (05.00 GMT)
Weather forecast: Fine with light winds. High of 10°C, low of 6°C
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Dave Pearson (England, Romain Poite (France)
TMO: Giulio De Santis (Italy)

By Dave Morris

Marc Lièvremont admits that France - and the rest of the rugby world - aren't fans of England, but that is what makes the English strong.

As the two old foes prepare to do battle once more, this time in a quarter-final clash in Auckland, Lièvremont has once again underlined the fact that there is no love lost between the two teams.

"We have the greatest respect for this (England) team," he said.

"Of course the rivalry still exists between us, but when it comes to the English I think it exists with all the nations in the world.

"If I'm to believe all the messages of support from the New Zealanders, the Argentines and the Australians that we come across in the street. They are united against (England) but that's also what makes (England) strong, this ability to surpass themselves, to unite together against the rest of the world."

This is not the first time Lièvremont has made his feelings regarding England clear, having said in the build-up to their Six Nations game earlier in the year that all the other teams have "one huge thing in common... we all don't like the English".

The French head into the clash as underdogs having endured a tumultuous tournament on and off the field.

The only side to lose two pool games and still qualify for the play-offs, Lièvremont and his players have butted heads while the coach has maintained his icy relationship with the media.

However, Lièvremont believes that with their backs to the wall after a shock loss to Tonga last time out, France will deliver their best performance.

"In the past, France has traditionally needed this kind of electroshock to give its best," he asserted.

Experienced lock Pascal Papé echoed the thoughts of his coach, insisting France were up for the challenge.

"We're stepping into the ring for a big fight," said Papé.

"Everyone thinks we're going to get hammered. We're in the role of a challenger who's doing all he can to cause a big upset."

Two camps in opposing situations will clash in the latest edition of le Crunch in Saturday's World Cup quarter-final at Eden Park.

It truly has been a tale of two very different teams in the build up to a showdown most expected when the tournament kicked off a month ago.

While the French have been batting off questions at press conferences about internal strife, the English have been going a bit overboard with their 'bonding.'

England arrive at the knock-out stages unbeaten in the pool phase and on a winning streak of five Tests - their best run since the 2003 World Cup. The French by contrast are reeling from their most humiliating defeat at a World Cup in their history, a result which saw them plummet to eighth position in the world rankings - their lowest ever.

France have hardly given a penalty away at the breakdown in four games - England give away a penalty for going off their feet or using their hands on the deck just about every four minutes.

They haven't set the world alight, but England have gotten the job done in their ever-predicable manner. As far as predictability goes, the French are... well... the French.

Indeed, the general theme of many opinion pieces this week has been that les Bleus are at their best when they are written off before the first whistle. One almost got the feeling that last week's catastrophe was a prerequisite for a stunning performance on Saturday. One French columnist even commented that "it's typically French. When their backs are against the wall is the best possible condition to beat England."

But, even at their unpredictable best, all the motivation in then world is not going to fix the underlying structural problems (or should we say their complete lack of structure) that have plagued this team for the last four years.

However, one thing is predictable: if France are going to make it to the semi-finals, it'll be thanks to their pack, not the fluidity of their phase play or the solidity of their game plan.

A look back over the last four years and the three highlights of the Marc Lièvremont era - victory over the Springboks in Toulouse, another over the All Blacks in Dunedin and a Grand Slam in 2010 - were all down to a rampaging pack and a monster scrum.

Even Lièvremont has stated that the 'game plan' has now become secondary to the mindset of his players. So we all agree: if France pitch up with the right attitude, they have a group with enough individual talent to do something special. But if things go wrong... it could get messy.

England will start favourites, of that there is no doubt.

Martin Johnson's team have won four of the last five encounters with the enemy from across the Channel. England conceded just one try during the pool phase, equalling the all-time World Cup record set by Australia at the 1999 World Cup. They also boast the tournament's leading try scorer and a certain Mr. Jonny Wilkinson, who scored all 24 points in the 2003 semi-final - the highest number of points by an England player against France. You will recall that England have knocked les Bleus out of the last two World Cups... it seems that all the signs point in one direction.

Yet France just might have the key to upsetting the odds (though those odds aren't very long, the bookies are understandably afraid of falling foul of another French RWC surprise).

As mentioned above, although Johnno felt they did better against Scotland, conceding penalties at the breakdown has been England's Achilles heal. By contrast, the French have been squeaky clean, almost too clean for their staff's liking. Defence coach David Ellis (who happens to be an Englishman) is concerned that France have been too preoccupied with discipline.

"A major factor over the last decade to bring French standards up to world standards was discipline," said Ellis.

"We've gone too far the wrong way. Now we're that content on not giving penalties away, and being penalised less than 10 times a game, we've taken a bit of our aggression out of the game and I think we need to put that back in."

If France can find a balance between displaying the same aggression that brought victory over the southern hemisphere's best and the discipline that has made them one of the least penalised teams at this World Cup, then England could be in trouble.

Dimitri Yachvili had a shocker against Tonga, making life difficult for Morgan Parra with a handful of off-target passes, but he has a habit of bringing his 'A' game when facing England: He jointly holds the world record for most penalties scored against England (six in 2005). He also holds the France record for most points in a match against the English (19 in 2004). If France can win the penalties, then you can bank on Yachvili to kick them over.

The addition of Toby Flood outside Wilkinson suggests we'll see a little more attacking from England, but there will be nothing earth shatteringly new on display. The 5/2 split on the bench - including two locks - points to what we've come to expect from the men in white. It won't be flamboyant, but it has worked well enough so far.

The net result? Expect a war of attrition between to solid packs with the result likely to come from a moment of genius in the backs or a defensive glitch.

It'll be brutal.

Players to watch:

For England: Toby Flood added the initiative that England were missing as they battled to crack Scotland's defence last week. His arrival immediately made a difference. He might not bring the same grit or organisational leadership to the defensive line as Mike Tindall, but he will add another dimension on attack and will certainly take some pressure off Wilko - not only in open play, but in front of the kicking tee. Wilkinson needs six points to draw level with world record holder Dan Carter on 1250, but if things are not going his way, Flood provides the perfect backup.

For France: A surprise exclusion during the pool stages, Imanol Harinordoquy has been recalled to the starting XV to provide the hard edge that was lacking against Tonga. The coach has called on his old hands to stand up and be counted and Harinordoquy is the man for the job. The Basque back row has made no secret of the his animosity for the les Rosbif so get ready for some thundering charges.

Head-to-head: England were under pressure at scrum time against Scotland, so keep and eye on the tussle between Nicolas Mas and Matt Stevens. Mas is one of the best in the business but might be a bit rusty having been out for a fortnight due to injury. Of course, we can't overlook the most spoken about selection at this World Cup: You can't improvise at fly-half and the decision to play a non-specialist in Mogan Parra against Jonny Wilkinson seems like a massive risk.

Previous results:

2011: England won 17-9 at Twickenham, London
2010: France won 12-10 at Stade de France, Paris
2009: England won 34-10 at Twickenham, London
2008: England won 24-13 at Stade de France, Paris
2007: England won 14-9 at Stade de France, Paris (RWC)
2007: France won 22-9 at Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
2007: France won 21-15 at Twickenham, London
2007: England won 26-18 at Twickenham, London
2006: France won 31-6 at Stade de France, Paris
2005: France won 18-17 at Twickenham, London
2004: France won 24-21 at Stade de France, Paris

Prediction: England and France have met four times in World Cup history. France won the first two, England the last two. They say World Cups are won with a strong defence and - in contrast to England - France's defence has been terrible. England by twelve points.

The teams:

England: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Toby Flood, 11 Mark Cueto, 10 Jonny Wilkinson, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Nick Easter, 7 Lewis Moody, 6 Tom Croft, 5 Tom Palmer, 4 Louis Deacon, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Steve Thompson, 1 Matt Stevens.
Replacements: 16 Dylan Hartley, 17 Alex Corbisiero, 18 Courtney Lawes, 19 Simon Shaw, 20 James Haskell, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Matt Banahan.

France: 15 Maxime Médard, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 Aurélien Rougerie, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Alexis Palisson, 10 Morgan Parra, 9 Dimitri Yachvili, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Julien Bonnaire, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Pascal Pape, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Jean-Baptiste Poux.
Replacements: 16 Dimitri Szarzewski, 17 Fabien Barcella, 18 Julien Pierre, 19 Louis Picamoles, 20 Francois Trinh-Duc, 21 David Marty, 22 Cédric Heymans.

Date: Saturday, October 8
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 20.30 (07.30 GMT)
Weather: Dry, Max 16°C, 8°C
Referee: Steve Walsh
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland, George Clancy
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman

By Ross Hastie with additional reporting from Adam Kyriacou

Saturday's World Cup quarter-final between Ireland and Wales is a clear example of just how much can change in a month.

Heading into the World Cup Ireland were at a low, a team struggling to find their feet despite obvious class. Declan Kidney's men didn't get their tournament off to the best start either with an unconvincing win over the USA.

But then came Australia.

With a surprise win over the Wallabies in the bag, suddenly they found themselves being considered genuine title contenders, a near unthinkable prospect not long ago.

Wales too have upped their game since the start of the competition but while there was no shock win for Warren Gatland's men they are most certainly on an upward curve.

In their opening encounters against South Africa and Samoa, it was the Welsh defence that impressed while against Namibia and Fiji some razor sharp attacking was on offer.

Key to both side's resurgence has been the presence of an incredibly talented loose trio.

For Ireland, Sean O'Brien, Stephen Ferris and Jamie Heaslip have been colossal with O'Brien one of the form players in world rugby at present. Such has been the impact of Ferris and O'Brien that even with a slightly off-colour Heaslip in the mix, the Irish back-row has dominated all before them.

They face a stiff test against Wales, though, and the outcome of the loose forward battle will be crucial to determining the end result.

The return from injury of flanker Dan Lydiate is a massive boost for Wales. Lydiate gets through an incredible amount of work and opens up the game for skipper Sam Warburton to snaffle possession and for Toby Faletau to go on his barraging runs.

It's not only the back-row where there will be a tight tussle but also up front.

The Irish scrum was on fire against Australia but against Italy they looked a little less impressive, at least while Martin Castrogiovanni was on the park.

Conversely, the Welsh scrum has gone about their business quietly, not attracting too much attention but that's certainly not because they can't. With Gethin Jenkins in particular looking sharp, the scrums and set-pieces in general will be an interesting contest.

Irish hooker Rory Best's struggle with injury in the lead up to the contest has been well documented and the Welsh will look to put Best under pressure early to test just how fit he is.

One imagines that the game will be won and lost in the forwards, with both back-lines capable of turning on the magic if given good, quick front-foot ball.

Indeed, it's amongst the backs that the most interesting selections have been made.

Gatland has stuck with Rhys Priestland at fly-half and the Scarlets man deserves the nod over the more experienced Stephen Jones. James Hook too may have got a look in at ten but instead finds himself on the bench. It may be due to a lack of fitness but for all his versatility, Hook cannot find a place in the starting XV, with Leigh Halfpenny preferred at fifteen.

Like Gatland, Kidney faced a difficult call at ten and while Gatland went with youth, Kidney has taken the alternate root and retained Ronan O'Gara at pivot.

O'Gara has been forced to sit in the shadow of Jonathan Sexton in recent times, with the Leinster man Kidney's preferred option for the opening stages of both the Six Nations and the World Cup.

The 34-year-old O'Gara's kicking is likely to be the factor that swung matters in his direction. Superior from the kicking tee and out of hand, O'Gara will look to kick for the corners initially and keep Wales on the back foot before Sexton likely enters the fray at a later stage with some additional flair.

When the two teams met in the Six Nations earlier in the year a bruising battle ensued that should only be magnified on the game's greatest stage. It's going to be cut and thrust stuff with neither side giving an inch against opposition that they know well.

Ones to watch:

For Ireland: It was always going to be a close call as to which of Jonathan Sexton or Ronan O'Gara won the battle for the number ten jersey. O'Gara has seen off the challenge of his younger team-mate and Declan Kidney will need the Munster fly-half to repay the faith shown in him.

For Wales: George North was billed as one of the potential stars of the tournament in the build-up and the big winger hasn't disappointed. Up against Keith Earls who has flattered to deceive of late, North could prove a real handful for the Irish defence.

Head to head One can't overstate just how big the battle between the loose forwards will be. It's mouth-watering stuff especially for the neutral. Relentless on attack and defence, the Irish may just have the edge but boy will they be made to work had for every inch!

Recent results:

2011: Wales won 19-13 in Cardiff
2010: Ireland won 27-12 in Dublin
2009: Ireland won 17-15 in Cardiff
2008: Wales won 16-12 in Dublin
2007: Ireland won 19-9 in Cardiff

Prediction: It could go either way and it's sure to be a tight, titanic battle. However, overall Ireland just have the edge and will take the game by five!

The teams:

Ireland: 15 Robert Kearney, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Brian O'Driscoll (capt), 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Ronan O'Gara, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sean O'Brien, 6 Stephen Ferris, 5 Paul O'Connell, 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Tom Court, 18 Donnacha Ryan, 19 Denis Leamy, 20 Eoin Reddan, 21 Jonathan Sexton, 22 Andrew Trimble.

Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Shane Williams, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Toby Faletau, 7 Sam Warburton (c), 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Alun-Wyn Jones, 4 Luke Charteris, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Huw Bennett, 1 Gethin Jenkins.
Replacements: 16 Lloyd Burns, 17 Paul James, 18 Bradley Davies, 19 Ryan Jones, 20 Lloyd Williams, 21 James Hook, 22 Scott Williams.

Date: Saturday, October 8
Kick-off: 18:00 (05:00 GMT)
Venue: Wellington Regional Stadium
Referee: Craig Joubert
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes, Romain Poite
Television match official: Giulio De Santis
Assessor: Bob Francis

By Julia Harris

England hooker Steve Thompson is relishing the prospect of a brutal World Cup quarter-final with fierce rivals France at Eden Park on Saturday.

Thompson, England's most-capped hooker, says he can't wait to lock horns with the French forward pack in a battle to set a platform for victory into a third straight semi-final World Cup appearance.

"That's the good thing about playing France, you know it's going to be a good, physical contest, especially in the scrum, no one takes a backward step," he said.

"You can really go at them because you know they're going to come at you. I'm really looking forward to it," the 2003 World Cup-winner added.

Thompson, who had a brief spell playing club rugby in France, doesn't hide the thrill he has in testing himself in the physical exchanges during a winner-take-all scrap with the French.

"We've got to start well, if you give the French team a sniff early doors, they'll be playing all game and they'll get on top of you and they've got some great players. We've got to start well," he said.

"It's just going to be really physical, isn't it? In the scrums, line-outs, mauls, they're going to be chucking themselves about and that's what we've got to do too.

"I don't expect anything less than that against the French. And when you look at the bench we've got, it's going to be pretty brutal on Saturday.

"But what do you expect from a France-England match in the quarter-final of the World Cup?"

It will be the 95th international between the two great Six Nations foes, with England winning 51, France 36 and seven drawn.

France are coming off a humiliating 19-14 defeat by Tonga last weekend and scrapped into the quarter-finals despite losing two of their four pool games.

"They've been a little bit up and down over the last few years and it's hard to play against them when they're like that," Thompson said.

"They're unpredictable, and when they play England, they always bring a good game, so that's what we're looking forward to on Saturday."

England have yet to lose to France in three World Cup knockout matches.

The won the 1991 quarter-final (19-10), 2003 semi-final (24-7) and 2007 semi-final (14-9).

France beat England 19-9 in the third place playoff match at the 1995 World Cup in South Africa.

Mils Muliaina is hoping to avoid becoming the latest All Black to be struck down by injury at this World Cup, ahead of what should be his 100th Test on Sunday.

New Zealand captain Richie McCaw, the first All Black to play 100 Tests, had his century celebrations put on hold when he had to withdraw with a thigh injury ahead of the pool match against Japan before reaching the landmark in the group stage win over France.

When coach Graham Henry gave his blessing to Israel Dagg as the number one full-back for the tournament opener against Tonga, it looked as if Muliaina would end his Test career stranded just short of the century milestone.

But injuries have elevated Muliaina into the starting line-up selected to play in the World Cup quarter-finals against Argentina at Auckland's Eden Park this weekend.

He also gets the opportunity to erase the nightmare of the quarter-final loss to France four years ago and the opportunity to use his vast experience to guide an up-and-coming fly-half into the limelight.

"I'm privileged and honoured," Muliaina said Friday, poignantly adding: "It's just another couple of days I've got to survive before I get out there."

The last thing the All Blacks need is to lose Muliaina to injury, with Dagg one of four players unavailable for the must-win encounter and the team already without backline general Dan Carter (groin) for the rest of the tournament.

Muliaina's first Test was a few minutes off the bench in the 15-13 loss to England in 2003.

He has largely been a first choice selection since, but as Dagg's star rose this year, Muliaina admitted to doubts he would reach his 100th Test before heading to Japan to end his playing days once the World Cup is over.

"Obviously when the boys are playing pretty well it's hard to get yourself back out there," he said after the All Blacks sailed through their four pool games unbeaten, with Muliaina given just one run against Canada.

"Sometimes, no matter how hard you train you don't get an opportunity because the boys are going so well so I suppose (I was) a little nervous but I get an opportunity now."

With Dagg's misfortune getting Muliaina back on the field it gives the 31-year-old the chance to square the ledger for the France loss after turning down lucrative offers to move overseas in the intervening four years.

"When I made the decision to stay here, this is what it was for. This is the World Cup and I really wanted to come back and hopefully do things right," he said.

"The pain of losing back in '07 has probably eased a lot, it's four years ago and we're here now, but I can't wait to get out there and play knockout football."

Muliaina, described by Henry as "a great servant to New Zealand rugby" also gets the chance to pass on the wisdom of his experience to Colin Slade who steps up to replace Carter in the pivotal position of fly-half.

"He's got to go out and be himself and we've got to help him along the way," Muliaina said of Slade.

"There's no doubt he's got to steer the ship and that's his job and for us we've got to get in behind him and step up another level.

"Dan isn't here now and finals football is all about 'this week'. We learned that last time. We went home and we certainly don't want to do that this weekend."

Argentina is counting on a perfect game, and a little luck, to have a chance at upsetting New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.

The Pumas named their strongest available side on Friday, all but one of the line-up which featured in the 13-12 win over Scotland two weeks ago.

The exception was at number eight, where Leonardo Senatore has replaced standout Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, who injured knee ligaments in that match and has returned home.

Aiming to control the ball and pace of the game to stymie the All Blacks, the Argentine squad also believes it will need to be firing in all areas to beat New Zealand for the first time ever.

"The difficulty is we need to try to do that perfect game," captain Felipe Contepomi said.

"I think if you prepare for the game the way you want to play the game and do the right tactics, then luck might go your way.

"We definitely need some luck. We know we can make that luck if we do things properly. We just have to have that perfect game."

Facing heavy odds against them didn't bother Argentina, Contepomi said. The odds were the same in all previous 13 matches against New Zealand, the best of which was a 21-21 draw in 1985 in Buenos Aires.

"They are the best team in the world. They will be after the game still much better than us, but over 80 minutes they have to play," said the Pumas skipper.

"We hope to put up a performance that our team can be proud of, even if that means winning, losing or whatever.

"We want to play 100 per cent, and we know if both teams play 100 per cent they might be much better than us."

The Pumas have pushed New Zealand close in two of the last three games, losing by four points in 2001 and by six in the last head-to-head encounter in 2006.

"Those two were at home," Contepomi was quick to point out. "Forty thousand people were cheering for us and not for them."

Argentina has ground out three wins in in Pool B and should have beaten England but missed a bunch of goalkicks to put the English under even more pressure.

The Pumas, not as strong as the squad four years ago which finished third, achieved their main goal at the World Cup in making the last eight. Facing New Zealand was a bonus, and a shot at making more history.

"We've been growing match by match, and our goal is to have the best team prepared we can possibly have," Contepomi said.

"If that leads to a win, so much better."

Loosehead prop Rodrigo Roncero recovered from a left thigh muscle strain to be recalled amid four changes in the lineup.

Roncero, a starter in the Pumas' first three pool matches, missed last weekend's 25-7 win over Georgia which clinched a quarterfinal berth.

Also back as expected were lock Manuel Carizza, winger Gonzalo Camacho and fullback Martin Rodriguez.

Prop Marcos Ayerza, and backs Juan Imhoff and Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino were dropped to the reserves, while lock Mariano Galarza was left out of the match 22.

Among potential milestones, Contepomi needs five more points to overhaul Hugo Porta's national record total of 590 points. Mario Ledesma, starting in his third quarterfinal for the Pumas, will equal former France captain Raphael Ibanez for fifth on the list of World Cup appearances with his 18th match.

England coach Martin Johnson has highlighted the importance of his 5/2 split on the bench for their quarter-final against France on Saturday.

Johnson, who named quintet Dylan Hartley, Alex Corbisiero, Courtney Lawes, Simon Shaw and James Haskell on the pine, is expecting a scrap.

"It gives us fresh bodies in what could be a close game. We can bring five guys on in the pack and keep it pretty fresh," he explained to the press.

There was little doubt that the stand-out selection on Thursday was that of Toby Flood alongside Jonny Wilkinson. England have in the past tried Olly Barkley and Shane Geraghty in a playmaking centre position but had little joy. But Johnson believes that the Flood selection is not a risk.

"I just think it's where we are now and what we need to do on the field. Toby's always had that option, he trains there a lot and has been used at the end of games like last week," he said.

"We know what Toby does and we're happy that he'll produce his game and Jonny will produce his. We've got a right and left and Mark's (Cueto) left foot too. The good thing about our guys is they're pretty consistent. It's not, will he play well, it's he'll bring what he brings.

"We might have to do things slightly differently and you adapt to that. There are different ways of getting go-forward so you pick your players according to what you want to do."

With just eight teams remaining in the 2011 tournament, Johnson agreed that the race for the coveted Webb Ellis trophy in New Zealand is very much wide open at the current stage.

"It's do or die, isn't it? It's a World Cup quarter-final. You've got to start big. There's no holding yourself back for anything. I think more than ever it is anyone's tournament," he said.

"New Zealand are still obviously very strong. The loss of Dan Carter is a big blow, but they're still a very strong all-round team.

"But it's a fascinating tournament. Every game this weekend is going to be interesting.

"You probably couldn't have said that four years ago - although you wouldn't have thought England would have got through the quarters and made the final.

"It's going to be a tough game for Argentina but you can see seven of them getting there."

By Adam Kyriacou in Auckland

Argentina head coach Santiago Phelan has announced his team to play New Zealand in their quarter-final match at Eden Park in Auckland on Sunday.

Phelan has named Martín Rodríguez at full-back while wing Gonzalo Camacho and lock Manuel Carizza return to this week's starting line-up.

Argentinina front-row rock Rodrigo Roncero has been cleared to start, enabling the South Americans to field their strongest available XV.

The side was announced on Friday after Roncero completed a fitness test after suffering a groin injury when the Pumas pipped Scotland 13-12 two weeks ago in a victory that paved the way for their last eight berth.

Captain and centre Felipe Contepomi needs just five points to overtake Puma great Hugo Porta as Argentina's all-time leading points scorer.

Mario Ledesma will equal the World Cup record for appearances by a hooker, playing his 18th match to draw level with former France star Raphael Ibanez.

Argentina have lost 12 of their 13 Tests against the All Blacks, with the Pumas' best result a 21-21 draw in Buenos Aires in 1985.

They finished third at the last World Cup in France four years ago but it would be one of the all-time great upsets were Argentina to beat hosts New Zealand at Eden Park this weekend.

Argentina: 15 Martín Rodríguez, 14 Gonzalo Camacho, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Felipe Contepomi (capt), 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 Santiago Fernández, 9 Nicolás Vergallo, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 6 Julio Farias Cabello, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Manuel Carizza, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Mario Ledesma Arocena, 1 Rodrigo Roncero.
Replacements: 16 Agustín Creevy, 17 Martín Scelzo, 18 Marcos Ayerza, 19 Alejandro Campos, 20 Alfredo Lalanne, 21 Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, 22 Juan Jose Imhoff.

Date: Sunday, October 9
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 20.30 (07.30 GMT)
Referee: Nigel Owens
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan, George Clancy
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman

Australia are boosted by the return of Digby Ioane and Kurtley Beale ahead of their World Cup quarter-final against South Africa in Wellington.

Full-back Beale, wing Ioane and inside centre Pat McCabe are all back from injuries as three of seven changes to the side that beat Russia 68-22.

Beale replaces injured wing Drew Mitchell, with James O'Connor relocating back to the right wing, McCabe steps in for Berrick Barnes, while Ioane resumes in the place of Radike Samo, who returns to number eight.

Samo's return to the back of the scrum is one of five changes to the forwards, with flanker Rocky Elsom, second-row Dan Vickerman, tighthead prop Ben Alexander and loosehead prop Sekope Kepu all reinstated.

"We've gone with the players, and the combinations, which have served us best through the year to date," Wallabies coach Robbie Deans said after the team was announced Friday.

"Obviously injury, and managing individual player workloads, has been a factor in selection through the tournament so far, but fortunately a lot of the injury problems that we've had are now behind us.

"The players that are coming back into the team after breaks are good to go."

While Australia have won four of their last five Tests against South Africa, Deans insisted those results were "irrelevant".

"All that matters is Sunday," he said.

"The winner goes on, the loser goes home.

"Taking comfort from previous games is the quickest path way to the airport! The knock out phases of the World Cup are completely different to every other type of rugby we play: the stakes are higher, the intensity greater and the margins between success and failure smaller.

"We've seen that to some extent already in the tournament through the key pool matches and you can pretty much guarantee that it will all only intensify from here.

"South Africa still has the core group from the last World Cup together. They know what it takes to be successful in knockout rugby and know how to close out the tight games.

"They'e already shown that in this tournament when they came from behind to beat Wales by a point (17-16).

"They have a group which has the knowledge and belief that it can get things done. They will bring that mentality forward with them on Sunday. If we are going to earn the right to advance to the next round, we have to match it."

Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 James O'Connor, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Radike Semo, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 James Horwill (capt), 4 Dan Vickerman, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Sekope Kepu.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 James Slipper, 18 Nathan Sharpe, 19 Ben McCalman, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Berrick Barnes, 22 Anthony Fainga'a.

Date: Sunday, October 9
Venue: Regional Stadium, Wellington
Kick-off: 18:00 (05:00 GMT)
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Dave Pearson (England, Romain Poite (France)
TMO: Giulio De Santis (Italy)

Springbok forwards coach Gary Gold believes a lot is riding on the battle between Heinrich Brüssow and David Pocock in Wellington on Sunday.

Gold reckons the impact at the breakdown will be the "defining factor" in the World Cup quarter-final between South Africa and Australia.

"The breakdown will be the defining factor this weekend for teams both on attack and defence," he said.

"They [Brüssow and Pocock] are two significant forces and both teams are going to have to be on their toes when those two jackals come close to the breakdown."

While Gold was well aware that what he said was not news, he highlighted that the way the two fetchers adapt to their immediate surrounding would be crucial to the outcome.

"The guys who not only master the tackle area, but also adhere to the referee's interpretations the best are probably going to be in the best position to win this game," he said.

"For them there is such a fine line between being genius or breaking the law, so their roles are essential, not only in what they do, but in their decision making at that particular moment in time."

Gold admitted that the Bok forwards had learnt many valuable lessons from their previous encounter with the Wallabies and that they respected their pack.

The men, who are his responsibility, were particularly poor during the second half of their Tri-Nations encounter in Durban where they suffered an eye-opening 14-9 defeat.

It was, however, the first match Brüssow had played for his country since a prolonged injury lay-off, and because Schalk Burger was still recovering from a thumb injury, Danie Rossouw was deployed at flank.

Rossouw, who had been one of the most impressive Springbok forwards at the World Cup, will be starting in his more preferred lock position this weekend after another freak injury ruled Bakkies Botha out of the match.

Gold said that Rossouw 's influence on the team is in the same league as the "jackals".

"The history in World Cups have shown that teams who have been able to have guys that are reasonably versatile in those types of crucial positions is important. Danie is absolutely essential for us," he added.

"To have a guy with that kind of versatility and ability around the park makes a big difference."

Full-back Mils Muliaina will win his 100th Test cap for New Zealand in Sunday's World Cup quarter-final against Argentina at Eden Park in Auckland.

Piri Weepu and Sonny Bill Williams have also been named in the starting XV with the latter featuring on the wing.

Zac Guildford (hamstring), Israel Dagg (thigh haematoma) and Richard Kahui (hamstring) are all recovering from injuries and were not considered for selection.

Aaron Cruden, who was called into the All Blacks squad to replace the injured Daniel Carter, is on the bench.

In the forwards, captain Richie McCaw returns to the starting XV after missing last week's Test against Canada with a sore foot, while Keven Mealamu and Brad Thorn also return to the run-on side.

31-year-old Muliaina is just the second All Black to reach the milestone, following captain McCaw's 100th Test against France two weeks ago. Muliaina made his All Blacks debut in 2003, captained the team in three Tests in 2009 and has scored 34 Test tries.

All Blacks Coach Graham Henry, who has known Muliaina since his schoolboy days, today paid tribute to the full-back.

"I want to congratulate Mils on this outstanding achievement. He is a special man and has been a world-class All Black for many years - the consummate professional really - as well as a very influential member of the All Blacks leadership group," said the coach.

"There has been a real feeling of positive anticipation in the squad this week now that we have finished the Pool Play rounds and are into the quarterfinals," added Henry.

"There is excitement amongst the team and we have had a good build-up on the North Shore this week, but there is also a realisation that this is sudden death, finals rugby.

"We have the utmost respect for Argentina. They showed in their Pool matches, especially against England and Scotland, just how physical their game is, especially at set piece and at the breakdown."

The All Blacks and Argentina have played each other 13 times with 12 wins to the All Blacks and the one draw. The teams have met just once previously at the Rugby World Cup, at Wellington's Athletic Park, in 1987.

New Zealand: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Sonny Bill Williams, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Brad Thorn, 4 Samuel Whitelock, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Ali Williams, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Jimmy Cowan, 21 Aaron Cruden, 22 Isaia Toeava.

Date: Sunday, October 9
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 20.30 (07.30 GMT)
Referee: Nigel Owens
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan, George Clancy
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman

France flank Julien Bonnaire has started the mind games ahead of Saturday's World Cup quarter-final in Auckland, claiming that les Bleus will target England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson.

Manager Martin Johnson revealed on Thursday that Wilkinson has been retained in the number ten jersey for the latest edition of le Crunch despite a somewhat disappointing tournament so far.

And Bonnaire believes his side can take advantage of the Toulon pivot's perceived lack of form.

"He, as well as the others, is not as good under pressure," said the Clermont Auvergne back row.

"It's down to us to show more aggressiveness so that he doesn't put his team forward. Having said that, generally speaking the English are always good against us."

France will start as underdogs after their surprise capitulation to Tonga in their final pool game and veteran hooker William Servat says he and his team-mates will be out to make amends in a game he anticipates will be a battle of attrition.

"I don't think it'll be an awesome game, but it will be a tough battle," said Servat.

"It is not easy to justify ourselves when we failed to win (against Tonga). As for me, yes, I got it wrong in my own commitment.

"Now, having said that, a lot of people make mistakes in their life choices and it is far more serious. We made a mistake as sportsmen, but it remains a sport. A beautiful one."

Servat is adamant France can bounce back from their Tonga debacle after being encouraged by the wins over Japan and Canada earlier in the tournament.

"In the first two games we did score 40 points against two teams that were not that bad. And we did get a bit of satisfaction out of it," he added.

"Against the All Blacks we lost, but everyone seemed to have known what to expect - us too perhaps, unconsciously.

"We clearly missed the point against Tonga, but during this week's training I enjoyed myself."