Australia v New Zealand | Result | World Cup 2011

Finished Eden Park

6 - 20

Australia

New Zealand

New Zealand power past Australia

New Zealand booked their place in a World Cup final on home soil with a dominant 20-6 win against Australia at Eden Park. More

Live Commentary
Time:80'
- Australia
- New Zealand
- - New Zealand will meet France in the World Cup final after a dominant performance against Australia. They are extremely worthy winners, and will be colossal favourites to beat a borderline shambolic French side here at Eden Park next week.
- 80+2' Kahui booms the ball away, Cooper fields it and is bundled into touch - and it's all over!
- 80+1' Australia have a scrum, but they know the jig is up. Eden Park is exploding with joy as the final knockings of this game are played out.
- 80' Cruden boots a penalty into touch, and New Zealand are seconds away from the World Cup final.
- 79' Finally Australia spin it to the backs, and Ashley-Cooper slips over... ah. Maybe that's why they kept it with the forwards. And a great turnover by McCaw.
- 78' Why Australia are not spinning this out ASAP is beyond me. They need an immediate score, then another. Why would they run the clock down? Lunacy.
- 77' Australia attack from the All Black five-metre line. No way through... and time ticks down.
- 76' And it's a yellow card for Sonny Bill Williams! New Zealand will finish the game with 14 men.
- 75' Cooper sprints into New Zealand territory and is stopped by a Williams shoulder...
- 74' Australia attempt to run it out of their own 22 - they have to do something - but they are met by a solid wall of black-shirted defenders. No chance.
- 73' New Zealand: Sonny Bill Williams replaces Nonu.
- 73' PENALTY GOAL! Weepu clobbers it right down the middle, and New Zealand lead by two converted tries! They are so close to the final now. 20-6.
- 72' Great scrum from New Zealand, who force the Aussies to stand up and that's a penalty. Another kick here - Weepu will take it.
- 71' Here come the All Blacks into enemy territory... but Nonu juggles it before knocking on. Back in Australian possession, but a comeback looks like a very long shot as we enter the final 10 minutes.
- 70' Jane lobs a cheeky kick down the line and chases it... but the ball bounces out for an Aussie lineout.
- 69' Gory! There is blood splattered all over the face of Ellis, and will get that mopped up - which means the return of Weepu.
- 68' MISSED KICK: Cruden goes for goal from just inside the Australian half, and gets plenty of distance but pushes his kick wide.
- 67' New Zealand win a penalty after a scrum collapses and there is a minor bit of aggro, with Pocock at the centre of some pushing and shoving. A New Zealand scrum cap is thrown away by Rocky Elsom. Cheeky.
- 66' Time ticking down on Australia's challenge - they really need a score. Well, more than one, actually. Polota-Nau replaces Moore at hooker for the Wallabies.
- 65' Andrew Hore replaces All Black hooker Kevin Mealamu, who also gets a tremendous ovation as he leaves the arena.
- 64' No, Tony Woodcock is penalised for lolling all over the ball, and Australia can clear from the penalty.
- 63' New Zealand make a mess of their lineout, but Read pounces on the loose ball and the Blacks now build 10 metres from the Aussie line. Looks like there could be a drop goal attempt here...
- 62' So much pressure on Australia, who win the throw but there is a black shirt on Cooper almost immediately as he kicks for touch at the edge of the 22.
- 61' Ohhh!!! Conrad Smith charges down a clearance on the Australian line, the ball could go anywhere but it spins out for a Wallabies throw - a lucky escape.
- 59' WOEFUL DROP GOAL ATTEMPT! Dagg slices his effort appallingly wide. That was not good. At all. The low point of a good night for Dagg.
- 58' Weepu is brought off to a standing ovation, and Andy Ellis replaces him.
- 57' MISSED KICK: From wide out on the right, Weepu pushes his kick wide to the right - it may also have been short. Weepu is three for seven on kicks tonight.
- 56' New Zealand have another penalty as Stephen Moore goes offside - Weepu signals that he will go for goal. Not an easy kick...
- 55' O'Connor is a little dazed after catching a (possibly accidental) forearm to the face. That'll ache in the morning.
- 54' Elsom and Slipper combine to carry the ball 30 metres forward, but McCaw wins it back for New Zealand and another chance passes the Aussies by.
- 53' Pocock takes a quick lineout for Australia who work it to O'Connor who smashes a kick clear - but straight down the throat of Dagg, who mullers a kick of his own.
- 52' That could be the worst pass in the history of international rugby, as Dagg flings the ball forwards, onto the floor and into touch. Let's assume that one slipped out of his hands.
- 51' New Zealand are noticeably keeping the ball in the forwards more this half, running phase after phase in midfield.
- 50' It has all gone a little bit stodgy. Australia are seeing plenty of the ball, but do not appear to have the wit to make their pressure tell.
- 48' McCabe's nosebleed has started again, and he is again replaced by Berrick Barnes while he gets treated.
- 47' Cooper and Ashley-Cooper combine to good effect, but the latter fails to release after Mealamu tackles him and the All Blacks have a penalty.
- 46' New Zealand turn it over and Dagg clouts a big clearing kick into touch. Solid defence.
- 45' Rocky Elsom powers inside the 22, and although Australia lack the invention and finesse of their opponents, they are ferocious competitors.
- 44' Moore drives to the edge of the New Zealand 22, and you feel that unless Australia score next this game could get away from them.
- 43' PENALTY KICK! Weepu bangs his kick through, and that is a great nerve-settler for New Zealand. 17-6 the lead.
- 42' New Zealand penalty after McCabe fails to release it. A chance for Weepu to extend the lead. Right in front, 35 metres out.
- 41' Second half under way, and New Zealand are 40 minutes away from a World Cup final in their own country.
- 40+1' Great defence from New Zealand, who force Australia to spill it forward, and that's half-time! New Zealand seem to be in control, but that could change in an instant. Back in 10 minutes.
- 40' The game is stopped while Tony Woodcock gets treatment on a wrist injury. He will continue...
- 40' Dagg knocks on under little pressure, and Australia have a scrum at the edge of the NZ 22. How they would love to steal three or more points in the last action of the first half.
- 39' New Zealand drive into Australian territory, looking for another score before half-time. Jane gets isolated, then flattened, but manages to recycle the ball effectively.
- 38' Pressure on Cooper in his own end zone, and he booms a clearing kick up to halfway.
- 37' PENALTY GOAL: Weepu makes no mistake with this one. It does not clear the bar by much, but it is enough to extend the New Zealand lead to 14-6.
- 36' Offside against Ashley-Cooper after Horwill spills a catch. Penalty New Zealand and Weepu will have another go...
- 35' Nonu charges down an attempted clearance but Cooper reacts quickly, scoops up the loose ball and gets his kick away.
- 34' Aussie blood replacement - Berrick Barnes on for Pat McCabe.
- 33' Cooper makes a superb, snaking run, but Genia then runs sideways away from his support and it ends with New Zealand winning a penalty when a yellow shirt comes in from tne side. But Australia are looking ever more perky.
- 32' DROP GOAL! Cool from Cooper at the edge of the 22, and he splits the upright with a good connection. Australia get a reward for their pressure, but they trail 11-6.
- 31' Sustained pressure from the Australians inside the New Zealand 22, but they are struggling to make any ground.
- 30' A Cooper grubber evades Kahui, takes a touch off the NZ wing and goes out for an Australia throw. A chance here.
- 29' New Zealand have had 64% possession and 80% territory so far. And that's completely unsurprising.
- 27' Australia lock Dan Vickerman is back on for Rob Simmons after a brief blood replacement.
- 26' We get a slight breather here as an Aussie forward - I didn't see who - gets treatment for an injury.
- 25' Mealamu penalised, Australia find touch and start to build a bit of pressure.
- 24' Cooper catches a high ball and gets absolutely hammered by Kahui as he comes down. But he does get it to Genia and Australia keep possession.
- 22' DROP GOAL! Aaron Cruden nails a drop from close to the 10-metre line. That's a great kick, and New Zealand extend their lead to 11-3.
- 22' Huge pressure from New Zealand again, but they are repelled by some feverish Australian tackling.
- 21' Australia sub: Kepu comes off with a swollen eye - James Slipper replaces him.
- 20' Biffo! The ball carrier Kahui raises his forearm and smacks his tackler in the face. Oof...
- 19' MISSED KICK! Another error from Weepu, who sends this kick to the right of the posts. He's one for four now, and this will be a concern for Graham Henry.
- 18' Penalty New Zealand - Australia prop Kepu adjudged to have collapsed the scrum. Should be an easy kick for Weepu. Pretty central, close to the 10-metre line.
- 17' Dagg hoists a massive Garryowen, and Quade Cooper spills the catch! He gets the treatment from the Eden Park crowd, and that will be a scrum New Zealand.
- 16' PENALTY GOAL! That will settle a few Australian nerves. A smash and grab raid sets up an easy penalty kick for O'Connor, and that makes it 8-3.
- 15' Penalty Australia! McCaw off his feet five metres from his own line, and you'd expect this to be kicked just to get Australia on the board. Fantastically strong run by Ioane to set this up.
- 14' And here comes the Aussies! O'Connor and Ioane make a barnstorming break down the left and are stopped agonisingly short. It's the first we have seen from the Wallabies.
- 13' PENALTY GOAL! No mistake from Weepu this time, and he drills his kick through the uprights. This is completely one-sided. 8-0.
- 12' Weepu is taking his time over this one - he should really slot it - on the meeting of the 22 and the 15-metre lines.
- 11' Here come the All Blacks again. Cruden breaks through the line, and Pocock is penalised again - once more for leaving his feet. This is the sort of thing he was doing for fun (and with impunity) against South Africa. Another chance for Weepu.
- 10' MISSED KICK: Weepu hits the post with an easy penalty kick. Bit of a shocker that one. It looked like he was trying to boot it to South Island, when a more restrained approach would have been fine.
- 9' New Zealand steal the lineout, and Pocock is penalised for leaving his feet. This is an easy kick almost right in front at the edge of the 22. Pocock gets a sarky rub on the head from an opponent. he doesn't like that...
- 8' Eden Park is really jumping as the ball is in All Black hands again with Kahui... Nonu hits a little grubber into touch just inside the Aussie 22 on the right.
- 7' MISSED KICK: Piri Weepu misses the conversion to the right of the posts. Not an easy kick...
- 6' TRY!! Ma'a Nonu for New Zealand! Israel Dagg makes a rapier-like break, avoids going into touch on the right and hands off brilliantly for Nonu, who touches down! A deserved five-pointer for New Zealand.
- 5' Jane turns it over and Australia whack the ball clear. They have had basically zero possession so far, though.
- 4' James O'Connor takes the ball into his own end zone and gets wrapped up by four Blacks before he can kick away. Five-metre scrum for New Zealand.
- 3' Australia win the line-out but the ball comes straight back. One-way traffic in the early stages.
- 2' New Zealand immediately on the offensive - O'Connor kicks away from the Aussie end zone, but Nonu runs it back into the 22 with real intent. Cruden's pass to Jane bounces out of play and the Wallabies get some welcome respite.
- 1' Game on! Quade Cooper kicks off for Australia, and drop-kicks it straight out on the full. A huge cheers goes up, and it's a New Zealand scrum on halfway. Bad mistake by Cooper.
- 09:00 Hopelessly commercialised sideshow it might be, but you have to admit the Haka is still pretty exciting. This version is slightly less rhythmic and more blood-curdling than usual. And it tells us that All Blacks number eight Kieran Read has an unusually long tongue.
- 08:58 And here comes the Haka...
- 08:56 The Aussie anthem was sung by a big burly bloke, whereas New Zealand get a rather comely young woman. That's home advantage for you...
- 08:55 The teams are out, and the Australian anthem is well-respected. The cameras inevitably focus on semi-Kiwi Quade Cooper...
- 08:50 If you haven't heard, Sam Warburton has been given a three-week ban for his 'tip tackle' on Vincent Clerc in yesterday's semi-final. It might sound harsh, but the standard suspension for such an offence is six weeks so it could have been worse. Three-week ban for Warburton
- 08:45 Whoever wins today will fancy their chances in the final against a France side who have come in for another volley of abuse from their coach Marc Lievremont after breaking curfew following their semi-final win against Wales. Lievremont slams 'spoiled brats'
- 08:40 New Zealand legend Richie McCaw has overcome a foot injury and starts today - he is mindful of the All Blacks' history of unfortunate chokes, and insists the occasion won't get to them this time.
- 08:35 Today's game has plenty to live up to in terms of drama and tension, following Wales's brave effort with 14 men against France yesterday. However, I'd suggest there will be more than 17 points today.
- 08:30 Welcome to LIVE coverage of the second World Cup semi-final between New Zealand and Australia!

Summary

Australia	versus	New Zealand
	Tries	Nonu 6’
	Conversions
O'Connor 16’	Penalties	Weepu 13’, 38’, 43’, 73’
Cooper 32’	Drops	Cruden 22’

Live Team Line-Up

Australia

Manager: Robbie Deans

On the Field
- Kepu
- Moore
- Alexander
- Vickerman
- Horwill
- Elsom
- Pocock
- Samo
- Genia
- Cooper
- Ioane
- McCabe
- Fainga'a
- O'Connor
- Ashley-Cooper
Subs
- Polota-Nau
- Barnes
- Burgess
- Horne
- Slipper
- McCalman
- Simmons
Injured

None

Suspended

None
New Zealand

Manager: Graham Henry

On the Field
- Woodcock
- Mealamu
- Franks
- Thorn
- Whitelock
- Kaino
- McCaw
- Read
- Weepu
- Cruden
- Kahui
- Nonu
- Smith
- Jane
- Dagg
Subs
- Hore
- Williams
- Ellis
- Donald
- Williams
- Franks
- Vito
Injured

None

Suspended

None