Rugby World Cup 2015: Winners and Losers from New Zealand vs. France

New Zealand devastated France 62-13 on Saturday evening as Steve Hansen's side ran in no fewer than nine tries to demolish their opponents and set up a semi-final tie opposite South Africa.

Julian Savea was elected man of the match for his hat-trick of tries, but the star performance spread far and wide, with the All Blacks beating their previous best of points put past Les Bleus.

The result means the Philippe Saint-Andre era comes to a most underwhelming close for France, and if ever there were a time to start afresh, this would most certainly seem like it.

Read on for a selection of the biggest winners and losers to emerge from Saturday's scintillating (albeit one-sided) meeting at the Millennium Stadium.

Winner: The Title Defence

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

The notion has been batted about for several years, but now this current crop of New Zealand superstars is living out its dream of becoming the first nation ever to win back-to-back World Cups.

The claims are looking more than justified, too, and although France were bad, it's worth noting this was the same team that pushed Ireland a long way before eventually falling 24-9, and that's the best Europe has to offer.

Liam Napier of Fairfax said Saturday's display was the best All Blacks performance of the past four years, and many would be inclined to agree after putting 49 points between them and a titan of the sport.

In the past, some dubbed the 2011 World Cup-winning side as the best New Zealand team ever, but if Saturday's mauling was anything to go by, this iteration could be even better.

Loser: Philippe Saint-Andre

Tim Ireland/Associated Press

One can't help but feel for Saint-Andre following a night where everything that could have gone wrong simply did for the French, and the wheels of the underdog fell away before they even knew what hit them.

Frederic Michalak appeared to tweak his hamstring in the build-up to Brodie Retallick's charge-down try, a play that summarised the weight of the game aptly: France falling while New Zealand rise.

It's hardly the manner in which Saint-Andre will have wanted to sign off his coaching career at the France helm, and his name will now inevitably be attached to one of the greatest sporting embarrassments in his nation's history.

Winner: Guy Noves

Tim Hales/Associated Press

Can it get any worse than this? Incoming France head coach Guy Noves would certainly like to think not, but the former Toulouse coach isn't universally backed to lead Les Bleus to their glory days of old.

Ryle Nugent of RTE says Noves is arriving "a decade too late," while Rugby World writer Gavin Mortimer has outlined those alternatives whom he would have nominated for the position.

Still, Noves will look upon the decimation as justification to truly begin anew, with barely a player present in the defeat able to stand up and call themselves irreplaceable at this point.

Loser: South Africa

Tim Ireland/Associated Press

What's more powerful than a Springboks side gathering momentum off the back of several very significant World Cup wins? Answer: A New Zealand team coming out of one of the most impressive victories in their history.

As good as South Africa have looked since losing to Japan, most recently impressing in Saturday's 23-19 win over Wales, this All Blacks team appear to be reaching scary heights, which is a hugely intimidating prospect.

Not to take anything away from Heyneke Meyer's side, especially in the wake of their well-earned quarter-final result, but their Rugby Championship peers sit in a different reality to the rest at present.

Of course, nothing can be ruled out just yet and Hansen's side were hardly at their world-beating best when they beat South Africa 27-20 back in July, but the margins have widened since then.

Winner: Julian Savea

Three more scores on Saturday means Savea now leads the Rugby World Cup 2015 try count with eight to his name moving into the semis, which is three more than his nearest opponent.

Not only is the 25-year-old on course to take the top scorer accolade, but his hat-trick was also enough to see him move above All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu into fifth in the national team's all-time try-scorer list.

Savea's 38 tries in New Zealand colours puts him within 11 tries of Dougie Howlett's all-time record for the team, and considering one would imagine Savea will play on for at least another five years, that feat isn't far out of reach.

Saturday was a night for New Zealand to savour first and foremost, but Savea was also deserving of his individual merits, and it's very acceptable to step back and marvel at what a unique talent is in our midst.