New Zealand thrash France in Rugby World Cup to set-up semi-final against South Africa

South Africa reached the semi-final after a late Fourie du Preez try saw them overcome Wales ©Getty Images

A late Fourie du Preez try helped South Africa edge past Wales to set up a Rugby World Cup semi-final against New Zealand, who destroyed France in a rematch of the 2011 final.

The Welsh team had been depleted by injuries throughout the pool phase of the tournament but it was their indiscipline which proved to be costly in a hotly contested tie in front of a crowd of 79,572 at Twickenham Stadium.

They dominated possession in the early stages of the match but Wales found themselves 6-0 down after 10 minutes of play, with South Africa’s Handre Pollard producing two accurate kicks to convert a pair of penalties.

Dan Biggar, one of the star players of the tournament, temporarily reduced the arrears with a penalty of his own but further Welsh indiscipline saw Pollard immediately re-establish the six point gap by moving the score to 9-3.

A superb up-and-under from Biggar though set up the first try of the match with the 26-year-old then feeding Gareth Davies to go over the South African line, before adding the conversion.

A fourth Pollard penalty and a Biggar drop goal saw the two teams enter the half-time break with Wales 13-12 in the lead.

Welsh indiscipline proved costly as they bowed out in the quarter-finals ©Getty Images

With the match continuing at a frantic pace in the second half the Welsh team began to tire and they began to come under mounting South Africa pressure.

Dogged defending though ensured they still held the lead heading into the final 10 minutes of the match, with Biggar and Pollard continuing to trade penalties to move to score onto 19-18.

Welsh defiance was ended, however, by inventive offload by Duane Vermeulen, which set up his scrumhalf Fourie du Preez for a South African try with five minutes from time.

After surviving the final minutes of the match South Africa, on the end of the biggest shock in World Cup history when they were beaten by Japan in their opening pool match of the tournament, triumphed 23-19.

They were not made to wait long to discover their semi-final opponents as it became apparent in the early minutes of the second quarter-final that New Zealand were a class above the French team at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

France had received an double blow when Freddie Michalak's kick was charged down by Brodie Retallick for the first try of the evening, with the fly-half then needing to be replaced having sustained an injury.

New Zealand produced a superb display to destroy an abject French team in their quarter-final ©Getty Images

Two French penalties saw them close the gap to 10-9 but a New Zealand team who had lacked fluency in the pool phase began to show their best form with Nehe Milner-Skudder and Julian Savea adding two further scores their tally.

A try from Louis Picamoles again gave the European side hope of getting back into the contest but an immediate response from the Kiwi's saw Savea power through several tackles to go over the French line to send the holders into the break with a 29-13 lead.

The second half saw the French team collapse and New Zealand took full advantage of their rivals abject showing to rack up several more tries with Jerome Kaino claiming their fifth of the match before Savea claim his hat-trick.

With their place in the semi-final secured New Zealand looked to play further expansive and free flowing rugby, with further gloss being added to the scoreline by a try by Kieran Read and a late brace by Tawera Kerr-Barlow to give them a final winning margin of 62-13.