Now All Blacks set sights on the Boks

Record win over France no guarantee of victory – coach

[caption id="attachment_105707" align="alignright" width="300"] RECORD-SETTER: New Zealand wing Julian Savea runs to score a try during the World Cup quarterfinal against France at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff at the weekend. PICTURE: AFP[/caption]

THE All Blacks briefly acknowledged their sublime 62-13 elimination of France from the World Cup – then began plotting the downfall of South Africa in next week’s semifinals. They rated the nine-try assault on France on Saturday one of their best performances in recent years.

But coach Steve Hansen said the defending champions would have to be even better next time.

A hat-trick of tries by Julian Savea and a swift-moving game directed by Dan Carter put the All Blacks a step closer to their stated aim of being the first side to win backto-back World Cups.

The jitters evident in pool games were gone at Cardiff’s packed Millennium Stadium. The mood among the All Blacks was that they could not afford to let the errors return.

“It was one of the best team performances I’ve seen for a while,” assistant coach Ian Foster said, crediting the All Blacks’ superior forward power for the way the backs were able to run riot.

“We got a lot of quick ball, a lot of quality ball and the interchange between backs and forwards was excellent.

“To me it was more about the team effort and getting the components right.”

In addition to Savea’s three tries, Tawera Kerr-Barlow scored twice and Nehe Milner-Skudder, Brodie Retallick Jerome Kaino and Kieran Read also crossed, while Carter added 17 points from the boot.

New Zealand play South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday. – AFP