New Zealand rout France for third
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Howlett has scored a tournament-leading seven tries.
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SPECIAL REPORT
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SYDNEY, Australia -- New Zealand ran in six tries in a 40-13 win over a dispirited France to claim third place at the Rugby World Cup.
Doug Howlett and Mils Muliana both scored their seventh tries of the competition and Joe Rokocoko, Chris Jack, Brad Thorn and Marty Holah also touched down.
But neither side showed much appetite for an error-strewn match that lacked the intensity of last weekend's semifinals.
Lock Jack opened the scoring on 12 minutes, finishing off a break started by winger Howlett, who added New Zealand's second try eight minutes later after Muliana cut through the French defense.
Trailing 14-6 at halftime, France briefly rallied early in the second half when winger Pepito Elhorga broke through under the posts to cut the deficit to one point.
The All Blacks quickly re-asserted themselves though, scoring three tries in seven minutes to kill off the French fightback. That took their try total for the tournament to a record 52.
Rokocoko sprinted through for his sixth try of the competition on 51 minutes and replacement lock Thorn strolled over two minutes later when the French were caught out by a quick lineout.
Muliana's try quickly followed at the end of a sweeping backline move, and flanker Horah broke through after a maul seven minutes from the end.
Daniel Carter also kicked four conversions for the All Blacks.
"We got a few tries there and it was good to see the guys throwing the ball around," said New Zealand captain Reuben Thorne, whose side lost to hosts Australia in the semifinals.
"We didn't get what we wanted but the tournament has been great."
French captain Yannick Bru, leading a lineup that featured 13 changes from the team that lost to England on Sunday, said the All Blacks had been too strong.
"We wanted to make the best of the game, but the All Blacks were a little bit too good and too fast," said Bru.
