France 64 Georgia 7
KEY POINTS:
MARSEILLE - Two tries by record-breaking wing Christophe Dominici helped France crush Georgia 64-7 in their final Pool D match overnight to advance to the World Cup quarter-finals.
The hosts will now play the All Blacks in Cardiff.
Needing four tries to secure a bonus point, France ran in nine in Marseille with Dominici becoming his country's record try scorer in World Cup history after taking his tally to eight.
Young first five-eighths Lionel Beauxis also made a telling contribution, scoring a try and kicking 19 points.
"Our duty was to win with a bonus point, it's done," said France coach Bernard Laporte, whose team put themselves in a tricky situation by losing to Argentina in the tournament opener on September 8.
"The players wanted to set the record straight after losing their first match and they've done it by winning the next three. I'm proud of them", Laporte told reporters before rushing to go and watch the match between Ireland and Argentina on television with his players.
Georgia, who had to be content with a late consolation try from replacement flanker Zviad Maisurardze, looked helpless at times but will go home proud after scoring their first World Cup win by beating Namibia 30-0 in their previous game.
A determined France moved ahead after three minutes with a Beauxis penalty.
Then came a brilliant move sparked by centre Yannick Jauzion, who slalomed through the Georgian defence before setting up Clement Poitrenaud for the first try, which Beauxis converted.
Losing halfback Pierre Mignoni through injury and replacing him by Jean-Baptiste Elissalde did not slow down France's forward march.
Two more Beauxis penalties, including one from over 50 metres, followed when Georgia were temporarily reduced to 10 men with a yellow card for prop Mamuka Magrakvelidze.
France chose that moment to score their second try through flanker Yannick Nyanga, who surged from a rolling maul after a lineout.
A classic move from the French backs gave the home side a third try by the outstanding Beauxis, whose conversion put France 30-0 at halftime.
France stayed in total control after the break, Dominici scoring his two tries after astute kicks from Beauxis and Elissalde.
Hooker Sebastien Bruno and lock Lionel Nallet contributed from mauls and Remy Martin also touched down before Georgia were again reduced to 14 for the closing stages, this time after a dangerous tackle by centre Revaz Gicauri.
Number eight Julien Bonnaire completed the demolition after another fluent combination thrilled the Marseille crowd.
- REUTERS
