Black Ferns through to World Cup final

10.00am

New Zealand will play England in the final of the women's rugby World Cup on Sunday after grinding out a physical 30-0 win over France in Barcelona today.

The Black Ferns forward pack once again provided the platform for victory, driving the French back with their powerful mauling, and gaining a crucial edge in a compelling scrummaging contest and in the lineouts.

However, the game was never completely safe for the New Zealanders until a two-try burst in the final 10 minutes.

Prior to that a stream of penalties and French injury breaks constantly upset the rhythm of the match and the Black Ferns were never able to fully assert their superiority.

They also did not help their own cause by having to play two minutes of the second half with only 13 players after flanker Adrianne Lili'i and then winger Amiria Marsh were sinbinned for needless indiscretions.

Captain Farah Palmer led the Black Ferns superbly with her driving play around the field and her scrummaging. She took three tightheads, the second of which set up a crucial try and the third saving her side after they had conceded a five-metre scrum when the French were making an impressive rally.

There were several other heroes for the Black Ferns.

Lock Victoria Heighway was strong in the lineout, winning three French throws, blindside flanker Melodie Robinson scored an opportunist try and ran down winger Annabel Donnadieu to save a certain five-pointer, and winger Dianne Kahura, who began on the substitutes bench after a late switch, scored a try with her first touch of the ball and set up the fourth try with a slashing 50m run just minutes later.

The French side spent the first period pinned in their own half as the Black Ferns went to the break 18-0 ahead.

Fullback Tammi Wilson kicked penalties after three and 22 minutes, scored a try following a blindside move in the 12th minute and converted Robinson's try.

The second half threatened to go all wrong for the Black Ferns, Lili'i was sinbinned for tackling while on the ground and then Marsh followed her for dangerous rucking.

However Kahura entered the fray to tilt the balance back New Zealand's way with a try. Palmer's tighthead on the French 10m line saw No 8 Cheryl Waaka break the advantage line and quick hands gave Kahura the chance to outpace her marker and score with 10 minutes remaining.

The Black Ferns scored a trademark final try when a blindside probe put Kahura in the open for a slashing 50m run that was carried on by replacement flanker Izzy Gray and then finished off by mobile prop Rebecca Luia'ana.

"They (the French) were very passionate in the second half and they perhaps caught us off guard at first, and then we lost two players. But that helped us in some ways, we had to dig deep and we managed to be patient and get back on top again," Palmer said.

"We were pretty exhausted at the end but absolutely stoked that we had some questioned asked of us by the French today and were able to answer them.

"They've given us plenty of things to work on before the final but it's better that it's happened now so we can get them right in time."

Coach Darryl Suasua was also quick to pinpoint his team's errors.

"I was very disappointed, to be honest. I know the girls will probably be harder on themselves than I will be, but that is something we're going to have to address," he said.

"We gave away a lot of penalties, especially at the breakdown.

"We were going off our feet and getting penalised. It seemed whenever we did get some momentum we got pinged, so we're going to have to get that right.

"At halftime I was full of praise for their discipline because it was very frustrating stuff. Every second play the French were going down with an injury or a bootlace, so it was very stop-start, but then we had those two silly moments (sinbinning) in the second half, which was very disappointing.

"Some of the our work in the backs was very inaccurate, too.

"The forwards have been doing good work keeping us in games and then to see it wasted out the backs there just isn't acceptable."

The Black Ferns have played three games without conceding a try, a single penalty goal from Australia being the only points scored against them in the cup.

"Im pretty pleased with our defence. I've spent some time with Robbie Deans and Mark Graham looking at defensive ideas because that's what will win this tournament."

NZ 30 (Tammi Wilson, Dianne Kahura, Melodie Robinson, Rebecca Luia'ana tries; Wilson 2 pen, con; Hannah Myers con), France 0.

- NZPA