New Zealand will have to wait 4 more years to make an attempt at winning the RWC that they last won in 1987.

New Zealand started the game in their normal dominant fashion, racing out to a 13-0 lead thanks to a Luke McAllister try and the boot of Dan Carter. The French tactics of kicking the ball deep into the New Zealand half did not work. The All Blacks ran the ball back at them and managed to keep the ball alive and only good defence from les bleus kept the score down. The French managed to get on the score board through a Beauxis penalty just before the break. After half time the French kept the ball in hand more and they were rewarded with another Beauxis penalty. This sparked a fantastic comeback by the French and they drew level after Thierry Dusautoir crashed over for a try and Beauxis converted. The All Blacks regained the lead when So’oialo went over for his try but the French were not to be denied. A brilliant break by Frederic Michalak saw Yannick Jauzion score to level the score. The conversion by Jean-Baptiste Elissalde was good and the French were through to thje semi-finals of RWC 2007. Final score: France 20 New Zealand 18