Semi-Final of Brutal Beauty

“This was the All Blacks as they would love the world to see them: tough, mean, committed and ruthless in every department,” the Guardian’s Robert Kitson wrote after New Zealand smashed Australia with “brutal beauty” 20-6 securing their place in the 2011 Rugby World Cup final against France. “This time, surely, a nation can breathe easy. No one will be warier than the New Zealanders of celebrating prematurely but the manner in which they tied the Wallabies down in a one-sided semi-final was deeply ominous for France. “I thought it was an outstanding performance and I’m very proud of them,” said the All Blacks’ head coach, Graham Henry, having left his old adversary Robbie Deans face down in the dust. “We just need to build again for next weekend and do the same thing, hopefully.” The Wall Street Journal’s Jonathan Clegg called the win “a display of sustained aggression and dogged defense that sent this rugby-mad nation of four million into a night-long frenzy.” The Sydney Morning Herald’s Greg Growden wrote that “in the end, the Wallabies didn’t get close.” “In the only Australia-New Zealand match which really mattered over the past four years, the All Blacks showed how superior they were, how their attitude will constantly win them the big battles, how they can apply the power game with such tremendous effect, and how easy it is to rattle the Wallabies.” All Black Ma’a Nonu scored the only try of the match. Kitson for the Guardian concluded that “Henry and his team will be taking no prisoners until the swag is safely gathered in.”