All Blacks blast the Aussies

It was fitting that the most hated man in New Zealand, Wallaby flyhalf Quade Cooper, was bundled over the touchline to bring the curtain down on Australia's World Cup campaign and see the All Blacks march into their third final.

New Zealand (14) 20 - Australia (6) 6

Cooper has taunted and wounded the All Blacks, in the same way the pursuit of the Webb Ellis Cup has vexed New Zealand, and yesterday the team silenced the Wallaby flyhalf and took a step towards solving its World Cup drought.

The All Blacks are into their first final since 1995 and will meet France in a repeat of the 1987 final, won 29-9. Since then they've come up short but now the best team of the past four years has a chance to underline its credentials by claiming the title that makes it official.

They were magnificent against the Wallabies and it's unlikely that France, even as unpredictable as they are, will have the class and mental fortitude to match the All Blacks.

As usual, most of the World Cup has been a cruise for New Zealand but yesterday they moved up several gears with ease. Wing Cory Jane and fullback Israel Dagg, who last week were at the centre of a row for drinking and smoking in a bar, were sensational.

Ma Nonu's sixth-minute try was the end of a period of complete dominance that began with referee Craig Joubert's opening whistle. And they never let up even when the Wallabies later asked some defensive questions.

"It was an outstanding performance and a heroic one," said All Black coach Graham Henry. "I'm so proud of these guys but we've won nothing yet, we must get our feet back on the ground and build again for next week."

It's a measure of how much the All Blacks dominated the game that they could still afford to leave 14 kickable points on the table and run out comfortable victors.

The home team smashed the Wallaby scrum, chased kicks with incredible desire and accuracy and sent runners directly at dangerous flank David Pocock to take him out of the game.

By committing him to 24 first-time tackles, Pocock was seldom the arriving player at the breakdown, which made him less effective at slowing or stealing ball.

"It was part of the plan, we wanted to get him involved in the first line of defence to make tackles but you can't always manufacture that," Henry said.

Australia were never in the game, and from the start, when Cooper's kick-off flew over the touchline, to the last when wing Richard Kahui slammed the No10 over the touchline as they both tracked back for a hack ahead, the Wallabies were second-best.

It was a chastening night for Cooper, who endured a poor start before finding his feet with some probing runs and clever tactical kicking.

He has revelled in being New Zealand's public enemy number one but with his forwards in retreat he was a sitting duck and the New Zealand defence smothered him.

"We're going to have to get our feet back on the ground and put in a performance of the same level, if not better, next week (against France)," All Black skipper Richie McCaw said after the game.

"They love giving themselves a chance and they'll get up for it. It's all on."

France somehow seem to find a way to upset the form book when it involves New Zealand, and as a consequence it's going to be a nervy week for the home town favourites.