Black Ferns through to final after quelling French

Black Fern Amiria Marsh fends off Catherine Devillers of France during today's semifinal. Jimmy Jeong / Getty Images

Top seeds New Zealand are through to the women's rugby World Cup final after defeating France 40-10 in their semifinal in Canada today.

The Black Ferns will play either England or the tournament hosts on Monday (NZT) after powering to a comfortable six tries to two victory in Edmonton.

The two-time defending champions made the perfect start when fullback Amiria Marsh scored behind the posts in the 44th second after Victoria Heighway stole a French lineout from the kick-off.

Pivot Anna Richards put Exia Edwards through a hole and the second five-eighth fractured the defence before giving Marsh a saloon passage to the line.

Emma Jensen surprisingly hooked the conversion wide and New Zealand suffered another setback in the eighth minute when they were shunted off a 5-metre scrum feed enabling French No.8 Delphine Plantet to level the scores.

It was the first points scored against New Zealand since their opening win against Canada but proved immaterial as a brace by vice captain and openside flanker Rochelle Martin put the favourites back in control by the interval.

Martin twice played the perfect supporting role, looming in support to finish a trademark midfield break by penetrating centre Huriana Manuel two minutes after Plantet's touchdown.

She then finished off a rampaging run by the bullocking Marsh, who was a constant when entering the line.

New Zealand extended their 20-5 halftime lead barely a minute after the interval when Jensen rounded off a 60-metre breakout but France again replied soon after when lock Corinne Devroute flopped over after interplay with flanker Aline Sagols.

A Marsh fend and offload to Richards ended the French resistance on the hour when the 41-year-old first five-eighth crashed over by the uprights to give the Black Ferns a 20-point buffer.

Coach Jed Rowlands then rang the changes though Heighway stood firm and was rewarded in the final minute she strode 15m after receiving an inside ball from replacment halfback Waimani Teddy to complete the rout.

SCORING

New Zealand 40 (Rochelle Martin 2, Amiria Marsh, Emma Jensen, Anna Richards, Victoria Heighway tries; Emma Jensen 2 pen 2 con)

France 10 (Delphine Plantet, Corinne Devroute tries)

Halftime: 20-5

- NZPA