France into final as Wales' Warburton sees red

AUCKLAND, Oct 15, (AFP) - France advanced to the World Cup final with a narrow 9-8 win at Eden Park here on Saturday over a Wales team reduced to 14 men after the sending off of captain Sam Warburton with 60 minutes of the game left.

Three penalties from France fly-half Morgan Parra were enough to outscore a Mike Phillips solo try and James Hook penalty for Wales, who employed a poor kicking game all evening against a French team content to soak up the pressure.

"We are very happy to be in the final tonight," said France captain Thierry Dusautoir. "It was a very tough game for us.

"Today we won thanks to our defence, we didn't play rugby so well. We played with our hearts," the flanker added. Wales coach Warren Gatland slammed the decision of Irish referee Alain Rolland to red-card Warburton in the 19th minute for a 'tip tackle' on Vincent Clerc that saw the France wing hit the turf head-first.

"He (Warburton) is not a dirty player. Why spoil a World Cup semi-final by giving a red card? I'm absolutely gutted by it," Gatland said.

"We were down to 14 men against a world-class opposition and still had a chance to win, it just shows what sort of character our players have got. I'm really proud of the boys," the New Zealander added.

"I just feel that result wasn't in our control at the end," said Gatland after his team had just fallen short of a first World Cup final appearance. Hook opened the scoring with an eighth minute penalty after France captain Thierry Dusautoir strayed offside at a ruck.

But the Ospreys playmaker slipped in the run-up to his second effort four minutes later, summing up his ineffectual game before being subbed by veteran Stephen Jones early in the second half. Wales dominated early territory and when Jamie Roberts was played through the middle by a deft Shane Williams offload, his pass rebounded off the head of midfield partner Jonathan Davies with the French defence absent.

But the Welsh suffered a hammer-blow in the when Warburton, at 23 the youngest ever captain in a World Cup semi-final, was shown a straight red card by Rolland for his tackle on Clerc.

Warburton joined Huw Richards as the second Welsh player to be sent off at a World Cup, the latter dismissed in the 1987 semi-final - Wales's only previous last four appearance - for punching All Black Gary Whetton.

Parra equalled the scores after the Welsh collapsed a scrum. Wales wing George North made a fine try-saving tackle on Maxime Mermoz after Dimitri Yachvili charged down a Hook clearance. Hook missed a second penalty on the half-hour, but Parra made no such mistake with his to edge France into a 6-3 lead after Dan Lydiate strayed offside at a ruck in front of the posts.

Parra went wide with an ambitious drop-goal early in the second period but nailed a third penalty after Wales collapsed a rolling maul as the French attempted to turn the screw. Wales at times struggled to maintain their composure. But against the run of play, Phillips skirted a ruck close to the touchline, fended off a weak Pascal Pape tackle and accelerated away to cross for a crucial try, although Stephen Jones saw a conversion that would have given Wales the lead hit the post.

With Welsh tails up, impressive No 8 Toby Faletau charged downfield, but Jones opted for a drop-goal off his weaker, left, foot instead of keeping possession.

France then closed up shop, offering nothing in attack, instead falling back on grim defence.

There was further drama to come, however, when prop Nicolas Mas was ruled offside at a ruck. But Wales fullback Leigh Halfpenny's 75th minute long-range penalty dipped under the crossbar.

Wales ended with an epic 25 phases in possession, but Roberts spilled the ball on the crash and France, still looking for a first World Cup title, advanced to their third final after losing in the climax of the 1987 and 1999 editions.

France beatemn twice in the pool stage, including a defeat by New Zealand, will play the winners of Sunday's match between the All Blacks and Australia in the October 23 final at Eden Park.