All Blacks send ominous warning to rivals

• Nine-try New Zealand blow away France to cruise into semi-finals

Reuters: CARDIFF: With revenge over France accomplished in brutal fashion, New Zealand rumble on, another step closer to winning the Rugby World Cup for a third time.

By their own standards, the All Blacks have not been at their absolute best during this tournament despite coasting through the pool stage.

But Saturday’s 62-13 demolition of France at the Millennium Stadium was irrefutable proof they are building momentum at the right time.

“It was a pretty special performance, there’s no doubt about that,” New Zealand coach Steve Hansen told reporters.

“There’s a difference between pool play and knockout play and obviously that creates an edge in itself, because if you don’t turn up you go home.”

The defending champions are safely through to the semi-finals without skipping a beat, having avoided another slip-up against one of their few bogey teams.

When it comes to World Cups, no side has caused the All Blacks more sleepless nights than the French. Although New Zealand beat France in the 1987 and 2011 finals, their losses to Les Blues in the 1999 semi-finals and the 2007 quarter-finals continue to haunt the Kiwi nation.

This French team may lack the flair and unpredictability of the best Gallic sides from previous years, but revisiting the scene of their 2007 defeat was reason enough to cause even the most optimistic New Zealanders some palpitations.

They need not have worried. The 2015 All Blacks may be older than some of their predecessors, but they are also wiser, keeping their composure on the rare occasions they were under pressure and patiently waiting for their chances.

Potent reminder

When those opportunities came, New Zealand seized them with ruthless efficiency, running in nine tries in a potent reminder of their attacking capabilities.

All Blacks winger Julian Savea helped himself to a hat-trick, evoking memories of Jonah Lomu as he barged his way through the French defence.

Replacement Tawera Kerr-Barlow crossed twice, helping New Zealand rack up their highest ever score against France after Brodie Retallick, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Jerome Kaino and Kieran Read had all touched down.

“All we’ve done today is earned a chance to play in a semi-final,” All Blacks captain Richie McCaw said.

“What happened tonight, we’re happy about, but come Monday we have to start again because there will be three other teams all with the same attitude.

“I’ve learnt the hard way that you don’t get ahead of yourself.”

The road ahead for the All Blacks does not get any easier. Their next opponents are South Africa, who have traditionally been their greatest rivals.

They have only played each other three times at the World Cup, but one of those was the 1995 final in Johannesburg, an epic match the Springboks won 15-12 in extra-time.

For South Africa, it was one of the most poignant moments in their country’s history with Nelson Mandela presenting the Webb Ellis Cup to Francois Pienaar.

But for New Zealand it remains a bitter memory of what can go wrong at the business end of the World Cup.

“I’m already looking forward to that. I love playing South Africa because there’s a special relationship with that group that goes way, way back,” Hansen said.

“They’ve been the team that New Zealand has had the greatest challenges with over many, many years and to be able to play them at the World Cup is something special.”