New Zealand vowed to keep their feet firmly on the ground after reaching next weekend's World Cup Final against France with a masterful display of power rugby in their last-four clash with Australia.

The All Blacks beat the Wallabies 20-6, outplaying their trans-Tasman rivals in every aspect as they hassled the Australians into a catalogue of errors.

New Zealand will be overwhelming favourites when they return next Sunday to play in a rematch of the inaugural 1987 World Cup Final against France, also at Eden Park, which the All Blacks won 29-9.

And New Zealand have already beaten France once at this World Cup, winning their pool match 37-17.

"It was an outstanding performance. I'm very proud of them. We just need to regroup next week and do the same thing," said New Zealand coach Graham Henry.

"The guys' character was superb and you can't ask for more than that. Everyone on the field gave 100 percent, so it's a good feeling to have the job done."

But Henry, who was also in charge when the All Blacks crashed out of the 2007 World Cup following a quarterfinal defeat by France - New Zealand's worst finish at the tournament - said the most important match was yet to be played.

"The job hasn't been done yet and it's very important we understand that and get our feet back on the ground over the next two days," he said.

"We've got to make sure we come down from this game. That's going to take a couple of days. That was a huge game of rugby. We've got a lot of history with France in Rugby World Cups and we respect them and it will be another big game of rugby next week," he added.

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, who bested rival Wallaby flank David Pocock at the breakdown in a crucial battle that helped the hosts achieve considerable territorial advantage, said New Zealand's tight forwards had paved the way for a convincing victory.

"The big guys set the tone and we did it in a disciplined way, we didn't get ourselves into positions to give away penalties and we got rewarded," McCaw said.

"When it counted, the big scrums change momentum. In big games like that it only takes a small swing at times to make the difference," he explained.

But McCaw, who showed no sign of the foot injury he's been nursing against the Wallabies, warned: "Job done for this week but we're not going to get ahead of ourselves because we've only given ourselves a chance of a Final.

"We're going to have to make sure we get our feet back on the ground straightaway and put a performance together the same, or if not better, next week."

France only just did enough to beat Wales 9-8 in Saturday's first semifinal in a match where the Welsh scored the only try of the game when down to 14 men after captain Sam Warburton was sent off.

However, McCaw said: "France have given themselves a chance now and they'll back themselves. She's all on and that's great."

New Zealand assistant coach Steve Hansen said there would be no radical changes in the Kiwi camp for the France game.

"You don't change what you've been doing, you've just got to do it better," Hansen said.

"Of all the teams we know we can't underestimate, it is France because of the history we have with them," he added of a team that beat New Zealand in a 1999 semifinal with one of the great World Cup performances.

"The thing we can't do though is overcook them too much. We knew that we really needed to kick on and improve. We know we have to do it again if we want to win."

AFP