before we build up to the next game.'' MacDonald corrected himself because, with the New Zealand and South Africa match starting earlier than Australia-Scotland, the latter had barely kicked off.The Springbok forwards caused England a lot of problems a few weeks ago, far more than they did the All Blacks, who yesterday controlled possession, controlled the game and allowed Spencer to display a few of his party tricks.However, he wasn't the only player to catch the eye in what was easily the All Blacks' most impressive showing yet. It was certainly a step up from the pool matches.''A big advance against the big rugby nation that is in transition. The All Blacks eased into the semi-finals, scoring three tries to nil, where they will meet Australia, and it is the Wallabies who will be losing sleep."We are living a dream at the moment,'' Leon MacDonald, the New Zealand centre, said "The forwards were awesome and there's a feeling of elation It was a huge effort from the team We'll take time out before we build up to Aus... "Many people have underestimated the ability of our pack,'' John Mitchell, the coach, said "They were superb. He couldn't, and nor could any of his team-mates.Spencer put on a show, but the most surprising aspect of the match was the reappearance of the All Black forwards following their lightweight display against Wales, during which the team conceded four tries. Rudi Straeuli, the coach, dropped his number one stand-off, Louis Koen after the defeat in the pool stages to England in Perth, an understandable reaction under the circumstances, but it was asking a lot of the 21-year-old Hougaard to come up with something to match Spencer in a World Cup quarter-final. By the end, he was doing card tricks and conjuring rabbits out of hats.

Carlos Spencer produced spells of magic to make South Africa disappear from the World Cup yesterday. Whereas New Zealand possessed something of a wizard in Spencer, South Africa gambled heavily on Derick Hougaard and lost. Subs: Civoniceva (Brisbane), Waterhouse (Penrith), Mason (Canterbury), Crocker (Sydney Roosters).Referee: Steve Ganson (St Helens).. He had a heart attack at half time the last time he coached Australia at this ground two years ago. Last night could have given him another.Great Britain 18 Australia 22Tries: Carney 2, Senior; Tries: Bailey, Waterhouse, Gower, LockyerGoals: Long 2, Deacon; Goals: Fitzgibbon 3Half-time: 4-8 Attendance: 24,614Great Britain: Radlinski (Wigan); Carney (Wigan), Connolly (Leeds), Senior (Leeds), Horne (Hull); Sculthorpe (St Helens), Long (St Helens); Fielden (Bradford), Newton (Wigan), Morley (Sydney Roosters), Peacock (Bradford), Farrell (Wigan, capt), Forshaw (Bradford). Subs: Anderson (Bradford), McDermott (Leeds), Deacon (Bradford), Gilmour (Bradford).Australia: Lockyer (Brisbane, capt); Minichiello (Sydney Roosters), Bailey (Cronulla), Wing (Sydney Roosters), Hegarty (Sydney Roosters); Gower (Penrith), Kimmorley (Cronulla); Webcke (Brisbane), Buderus (Newcastle), Kearns (Melbourne), Fitzgibbon (Sydney Roosters), Simpson (Newcastle), Ricketson (Sydney Roosters). In an ironic twist, Gower then knocked on from the kick-off and from the scrum, Carney crowned a superb debut by taking Sculthorpe's long pass and squeezing in at the corner despite three defenders barrelling across to take him into touch with Deacon's conversion a bonus.It would have made a memorable match-winner but Australia found a way of getting out of their hole."It was a performance full of character, to come back in the last 10 minutes," said their coach Chris Anderson. They did get a further two points when Australia were caught offside and Long put the penalty over.With 12 minutes to play and a four-point lead, the crowd at the JJB Stadium began to sense that something special was unfolding but the limping Kimmorley put Gower through a gap that should not have been there.

That gave Great Britain new impetus and, after Long's kick had drawn an uncharacteristic fumble from Lockyer, the scrum saw Long and Sculthorpe move the ball swiftly for Senior to pick up low, get on the outside of Bailey and stretch out an arm to touch down.Long's goal gave Great Britain an unlikely lead and they would have been further ahead if Kris Radlinski could have held on to Senior's pass after another telling break from the Leeds' centre. Sculthorpe's probing down the left paved the way for the equalising try, scored when Sean Long lofted a pass to the right and Gary Connolly unselfishly gave the ball to Carney for his first at this level.Willie Mason had what would have been a messy Australian try disallowed because the ball hit the referee.Australia led by half-time when Terry Newton gave away a penalty for ruffing up Lockyer in the tackle and the Australian captain took revenge from the resulting possession, his kick sitting up perfectly for Trent Waterhouse.Now that Australia were in the lead, it seemed that their numerical advantage must tell in the second half, but the sin-binning of Mick Crocker for taking a swing at Carney, temporarily evened things up. The referee, Steve Ganson, and after holding a long consultation with his touch judge, Steve Wright, sent Morley off. The sight on the big screen of Morley, head in hands in the dressing room, said it all."I feel for Adrian," said the Great Britain captain, Andy Farrell. "He's a very aggressive player but there's no malice in him whatsoever."A post-match tribunal was not as convinced, however, referring the incident to a panel who will sit to decide Morley's fate tomorrow evening.Australia took the lead after 13 minutes when Brett Kimmorley's run took them into an attacking position and, with the defence drawn in, Danny Buderus and Craig Gower opened up play on the right, Lockyer came into the line and Phil Bailey scored wide out.Apart from that, Great Britain defended doggedly and also looked capable of causing problems with the ball, especially when Paul Sculthorpe and Keith Senior were involved. Great Britain came agonisingly close to one of the most remarkable victories in Test history in a first match of the Ashes series which they played for all but 12 seconds with 12 men following the sending off of Adrian Morley.