Wynne Gray's 50 greatest rugby moments: No.7

Brad Thorn of the All Blacks shows his delight at winning a penalty off the scrum during a 2011 Rugby World Cup semi-final against Australia. photo / Joel Ford

Several months earlier, the All Blacks' final preparation for the 2011 World Cup hit a speedbump in Brisbane when they were beaten 25-20 by the Wallabies.

Now they were drawn to meet again in the major semifinal after the All Blacks struggled past the Pumas and the Wallabies squeaked past the defending champion Springboks.

There were many tasty subplots from the top where coaches Graham Henry and Robbie Deans had a lengthy rivalry down to the promotion of five eighths Aaron Cruden - after the tournament-ending injuries to Daniel Carter then Colin Slade - to challenge visiting bad boy Quade Cooper.

Cooper was on the end of derisive cheers from the time his opening kickoff drifted out on the full until Richard Kahui dumped him into touch at the final whistle.

Cruden was impressive in the high-pressure contest with his mix of tactics and inquiring running game keeping the heat on the Wallaby defence while the 60,087 Eden Park crowd fanned the patriotic hopes.

Fullback Israel Dagg showed no trouble from a bruised thigh which kept him out of the quarter-final and returned to full noise to replace Mils Muliaina who had succumbed to injury after playing 100 tests. Dagg broke early and flicked an inside ball to Ma'a Nonu to score and set the All Blacks on the right path. It was the only try. However, the All Blacks dominated this match and squeezed their rivals out of the contest.

Not long after the Wallabies created their one strong chance when Digby Ioane linked up with James O'Conner's offload and beat half a dozen tacklers and sniffed the line until Jerome Kaino cleared the danger.

After that scare, the All Black chokehold became tighter across the park. The Wallabies had not won at Eden Park since 1986 and although they had beaten the All Blacks in their two previous RWC tests in 1991 and 2003, they were not going to find a third success this time. The All Black scrum was dominant and earned several penalties including a late strike from Piri Weepu which confirmed the 20-6 triumph.'