France refuse to back down in Cardiff

France 20 New Zealand 18: France have once again ripped up the form book and dumped tournament favourites New Zealand out of the World Cup in a pulsating quarter-final in Cardiff.

As they did in the 1999 semi-final the French looked dead and buried at halftime at 13-3, but took advantage of Luke McAlister sin-binning shortly after the break to strike back and unsettle a New Zealand side who had it practically all their own way in the first period.

Thierry Dusautoir's try set in motion a monumental effort from his countrymen and after Rodney So'oailo touched down for the All Blacks to seemingly retake control there was a blissful cameo from the much maligned Frederic Michalak who set up centre Yannick Jauzion for a second try.

France will now meet another underdog, England, in the semi-final in Paris next weekend.

Graham Henry's side looked to have all the answers in the first half.  Their back three gleefully mopped up some deep French kicks as Bernard Laporte's men refused to keep the ball in hand.

The All Blacks threatened with some relentless phase play and looked to have broken the deadlock when an Ali Williams touched down, but the it was ruled out by the television match official for a foot in touch.

Outhalf Dan Carter got the first points on the board in the 14th minute with a penalty, but it was in the 18th that the All Blacks' work paid off. McAlister's blistering run through the midfield was spotted by Carter whose pop pass was timed to perfection.

The centre took it on at pace and had the ever present Jerry Collins in support.  Collins took over but McAlister never stopped running and just before the flanker was hauled to the ground by the scrambling French defence he found the return pass that sent his teammate crashing over the line. Carter converted and added a penalty in the 31st minute after France were penalised for coming in at the side.

After he and Jean Baptiste Ellisalde both missed earlier penalties, Lionel Beauxis found his range to register France's first score on the stroke of halftime.

There was little to suggest the second half would be any different but that all changed when McAlister was yellow-carded for a blocking a runner five minutes into the half. Beauxis kicked the penalty and France, with the extra man, began to try and make it count.

They spread the All Blacks wide on both sides of the field and after looking like they had missed their chance, sent long-striding flanker Dusautoirm whose defensive effort had been immense until then, across the line in the 53rd minute. Beauxis was again on target with the conversion.

With the score deadlocked at 13-13 New Zealand again took the game to the French and were rewarded after a series of drives when number eight So'oialo plunged over the line in the 62nd minute. With the injured Carter off the pitch after being replaced by Nick Evans, McAlister failed with what was to be a crucial conversion.

And France were far from finished. Replacement Michalak's brilliant run from deep cut through the New Zealand defence on the left handside, allowing him to pivot and pop the ball to Jauzion, who touched down. Scrumhalf Jean-Baptiste Elissalde kicked the simple conversion.

It was a war of attrition from there on in as the French did all they could to keep their mighty opponents at bay. As the All Blacks took it through the phases brilliantly, however, there was no Carter in the pocket and even more bafflingly, no-one to take is place.

McAlister refused the task until his side had been forced back to the halfway and even then he only attempted it because he appeared to think that referee Wayne Barnes would call the play back for a New Zealand penalty.

New Zealand came again and forced the French into some desperate defending but the hosts willingly put their bodies on the line until the ball turned over and found its way to Ellisalde, who was fully aware that the game was up and thumped into the middle of the jubilant French support.

Another upset for the knockout stages after England's win over Australia and another early exit for the most feared side in world rugby.

"Congratulations to the players, who faced heavy criticism after their defeat by Argentina," said an elated Laporte afterwards: "This was their reply. We are not world champions yet but we want to be.

"We have just beaten the tournament favourites. It's fabulous. This victory belongs to the players who sweated it out until the last second."

Lock Fabien Pelous, who will retire after the tournament, said: "I was thinking this could be my last match but it will not be. I hope there will be two more. We'll do everything for that.

"It was really difficult because we were up against a team with exceptional individual talent. We concentrated on the simple things, gaining territory, defending."

New Zealand - 15-Leon MacDonald, 14-Joe Rokocoko, 13-Mils Muliaina, 12-Luke McAlister, 11-Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10-Daniel Carter (21-Nick Evans 56) (22-Isaia Toeava 71), 9-Byron Kelleher  (20-Brendon Leonard 56), 8-Rodney So'oialo, 7-Richie McCaw(captain), 6-Jerry Collins (19-Chris Masoe 63), 5-Ali Williams, 4-Keith Robinson (18-Chris Jack 50), 3-Carl Hayman, 2-Anton Oliver (16-Andrew Hore 56), 1-Tony Woodcock.

Replacement not used: 17-Neemia Tialata

France - 15-Damien Traille, 14-Vincent Clerc, 13-David Marty, 12-Yannick Jauzion, 11-Cedric Heymans (21-Christophe Dominici 69), 10-Lionel Beauxis (20-Frederic Michalak 68), 9-Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, 8-Julien Bonnaire, 7-Thierry Dusautoir, 6-Serge Betsen (19-Imanol Harinordoquy 5), 5-Jerome Thion, 4-Fabien Pelous (18-Sebastien Chabal 52), 3-Pieter de Villiers, 2-Raphael Ibanez (captain) (16-Dimitri Szarzewski 52), 1-Olivier Milloud (17-Jean-Baptiste Poux 41)

Replacement not used: 22-Clement Poitrenaud

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)