Rugby: Michalak upstages Beauxis and Carter

France's Frederic Michalak, Clement Poitrenaud and Vincent Clerc (L-R) celebrate after their quarter-final Rugby World Cup match against the All Blacks. Photo / Reuters

CARDIFF - France's Lionel Beauxis and New Zealand's Dan Carter fought out a titanic battle of the fly halves in the World Cup quarter-final clash here at the Millennium Stadium.

But it was Frederic Michalak, the joker in France's pack, who ended up upstaging both starting No 10s by playing a decisive role in Yannick Jauzion's match-winning try in the 69th minute, barely 60 seconds after coming on as a replacement for the 21-year-old Beauxis.

Both Beauxis and Carter scored eight points in a match where France, 13-0 down after half an hour, came back to win 20-18.

But Les Bleus' shock second half recovery persuaded All Blacks coach Graham Henry to replacing his star player with Nick Evans in the 56th minute.

Carter came into the crunch match as an injury doubt following his withdrawal in the final Pool C match with Romania due to a calf strain.

Henry gambled with Carter's fitness even though he wasn't 100 per cent fully fit for the knock out match, a decision he insisted afterwards had been supported by the New Zealand medical staff.

Meanwhile, Beauxis, who scored 19 points against Georgia in France's final Pool match, was selected to start his second match of the tournament.

In the opening minute of the contest Carter appeared to put any initial fitness doubts to bed.

His first involvement came after 24 seconds with a booming 45-yard kick which found touch close to the French 22.

While Carter imposed himself on the big stage immediately, Beauxis, winning his 10th cap and making only his fourth start, failed to take a high ball in the second minute.

Despite the Crusaders superstar's encouraging start, Carter showed he was human by being turned over and then failing to find touch.

New Zealand's early pressure gifted Carter his first penalty opportunity in the 14th minute and he duly obliged by converting in front of the posts.

Just three minutes later, Carter was in the thick of the action again when his deft pass granted Luke McAlister the space to make a line-break. The centre exchanged passes with flanker Jerry Collins to score New Zealand's first try.

Carter extended his points tally to five with the conversion.