(Colombo Lankapuvath) Captain Richie McCaw paid tribute to his All Blacks after they survived the most nerve-racking of scares to end 24 years of pain and clinch their second Rugby World Cup title with an 8-7 win over France.

(Colombo, Lankapuvath)The boot of Piri Weepu took New Zealand to a 33-10 quarter-final victory over Argentina at Eden Park on Sunday evening.

With the All Blacks leading the try count 2-1, the scrum half was the difference as he kicked seven out of seven penalties to take New Zealand into a semi-final match with Australia.

The last-eight clash was played at a phenomenal pace from start to finish and was packed full of big hits and tough tackling as the Pumas showed some incredible defensive play to stifle the All Blacks' attacking flair.

(Colombo, Lankapuvath)Australia withstood tremendous pressure from South Africa to edge their quarter-final against the Springboks 11-9 in Wellington on Sunday.

James O'Connor kept his nerve to kick the winning points in the 71st minute and book the Wallabies a place in the semi-finals, where they will meet the winner of Sunday night's match between New Zealand and Argentina.

Man of the match, Australia's Pat Pocock, said: "It was a tough game out there. We knew it was coming, so credit to the Springboks. I think it was a great team effort to get the win and we're stoked to get through to next week.

"The Springboks are so good at building pressure and taking advantage of mistakes."

Pocock's skipper James Horwill, who scored the game's only try, described his team's performance as a "huge effort".

"I am really, really proud with the way the guys fought," Horwill said. "It was a huge effort that took everything we needed. I am just really stoked."

(Colombo Lankapuvath) First-half tries from Vincent Clerc and Maxime Médard helped France to a 19-12 victory at Eden Park on Saturday that sent England tumbling out of the Rugby World Cup.

Dimitri Yachvili slotted two stunning penalties before Clerc and Médard went over to give Les Bleus a 16-0 half-time lead in the quarter-final.

England hit back after the interval with tries from Ben Foden and Mark Cueto either side of a French drop goal from Francois Trinh-Duc but it was too little too late.

France took the lead on 11 minutes after inside centre Toby Flood was penalised for not releasing his man after a tackle. Yachvili stepped up to crash a majestic 45-metre penalty through the posts.

The French scrum half sent another long-range kick over four minutes later after England prop Matt Stevens collapsed a scrum.

Yachvili had a chance to make it three successful kicks from three when Stevens was penalised again for holding on but this time saw his effort drift wide on the right.

Right wing Clerc took advantage of slack England defending to send his team further ahead after 22 minutes, spinning Foden before darting in to touch down. Yachvili sent his conversion attempt wide.

Full back Médard crashed over to score a second try for Les Bleus just after the half hour following good work from Morgan Parra and Alexis Palisson. Yachvili again failed to add the extras.

Full back Foden gave the English hope after 15 minutes into the second half when he collected a Flood pass on the left and cut inside, dummying two French defenders in the process to cross for his side's first points.

Jonny Wilkinson banged over an easy conversion from in front of the posts to reduce the deficit to nine points.

Trinh-Duc hit back at the other end after 72 minutes when he slotted a drop goal from in front of the posts.

Cueto ensured a nail-biting finish when he scored a 77th-minute try that was given after the referee consulted the TMO. But Flood's conversion attempt flew horribly wide and the French held on for victory.

(Colombo Lankapuvath) Wales captain Sam Warburton praised his team's defence after their 22-10 triumph over Ireland in Rugby World Cup 2011's first quarter-final.

After a game of passion and skill at Wellington Regional Stadium, Warburton said: "It was a massive defensive effort from one to 15.

"We always say we don't start games good enough. We started the game perfectly today.

"It was just what we wanted. It's a lot easier to stay ahead of the game than to chase it."

The Welsh scored three tries to one, but it was their defence which was the crucial difference between the sides.

Ireland enjoyed territorial advantage in the first half, but their return of just one Ronan O'Gara penalty was scant reward. And this was due to the miserly Welsh defence.

Brian O'Driscoll, the captain of Ireland, said his team had been outplayed in the second spell.

(Colombo Lankapuvath) The country’s most awaited event in the sports calendar for the year 2011, Caltex League Rugby tournament 2011 will take place tomorrow evening in Colombo and Katunayaka.

(Colombo Lankapuvath) To mark the 100 Days to go milestone to Rugby World Cup 2011 (RWC 2011), Rugby New Zealand 2011 and the NZ 2011 Office have teamed up to produce a special edition magazine.

The magazine is full of useful information about the tournament and the REAL New Zealand Festival organizers said.

(Colombo Lankapuvath) Inclusion of foreign players will be allowed for four teams during the Caltex season, Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) said.