NEW Zealand have made history, becoming the first team to go back-to-back in Rugby World Cup finals.

The All Blacks beat Australia 34-17 in an electrifying final at Twickenham, running away with a try to seal the match in the final minutes.

Veteran flyhalf Dan Carter was awarded man of the match honours, after racking up a total of 19 points, with a kick succession rate of seven out of eight shots at goal.

Read on to see how the match unfolded.

FIRST HALF

THE All Blacks came out of the blocks firing against Australia, with Jerome Kaino and Conrad Smith pulling off dominant tackles to put the Aussies on the back foot. A charged-down kick saw the Kiwis force a lineout, before a break from Ma’a Nonu led to a Wallaby knock-on at the breakdown.

New Zealand were awarded a scrum ten metres from the Wallaby line.

David Pocock leaked the first breakdown penalty against Australia, as their defence scrambled to shut down an electric All Blacks backline.

Dan Carter took the first points of the final, with a penalty goal to make it 3-0 to New Zealand with eight minutes played.

A mistake from fullback Ben Smith off a long kick from Wallaby flyhalf Bernard Foley gave Australia their first opportunity to attack in Kiwi territory. The Wallabies were immediately awarded a penalty at scrum time as the New Zealand frontrow failed to maintain their binds. Foley levelled the scores to make it 3-3 after 14 minutes.

The Wallabies suffered a huge blow with the loss of powerful second-rower Kane Douglas. The lock, who had played the most minutes and recorded the most tackles of any Australian at the World Cup, was brought down in the air, landing awkwardly on his left knee. Former Exeter Chiefs captain Dean Mumm replaced the 26-year-old.

Skipper Stephen Moore was penalised for not rolling away from the ruck, giving Dan Carter the opportunity to kick for touch and heap the pressure back onto Australia.

The Aussies were again penalised after the lineout, but as the All Blacks took a quick tap, the Wallaby backrow force in David Pocock and Michael Hooper forced a crucial turnover penalty at the breakdown to give the Aussies some breathing space.

The All Blacks’ attack was relentless, however a tireless Australian defensive line continued to pile on the pressure at the ruck contest. Hooper forced a turnover to allow Matt Giteau to kick down the sideline, while moments later blindside flanker Scott Fardy was awarded a penalty for his quick work over the ball.

For the second time in the half, Wallaby prop Sekope Kepu was penalised for a tackle on Dan Carter, taking the flyhalf high in Australian territory. Carter knocked the ball over for his second penalty goal of the night, as his side regained the lead 6-3.

Matt Giteau left the field at the 25-minute mark for a compulsory concussion test after sustaining a nasty head knock, as NSW back Kurtley Beale took his place in the Wallaby line. The 102-Test veteran failed medical tests, leaving Beale to take over his role for the remainder of the match.

After a dubious pass to flanker Jerome Kaino running down the right wing, referee Nigel Owens again penalised Australia at the breakdown, as Will Genia dove over the ruck and knocked the ball out of the hands of halfback Aaron Smith. Carter continued his perfect kicking record, making it 9-3 to the All Blacks with four minutes to go until the half-time break.

In the final minute of the half, a small break from outside centre Conrad Smith saw the ball turned back inside to Aaron Smith, passing onto skipper Richie McCaw who then put winger Nehe Milner-Skudder over in the right corner.

Dan Carter kicked his first conversion of the night, as the Kiwis went into the sheds leading 16-3.

SECOND HALF

NEW Zealand managed a dream start to the second half, after a chip kick from Foley gave the Kiwis possession back on halfway.

An offload from replacement Sonny Bill Williams put veteran centre Ma’a Nonu into space through the midfield, as Kurtley Beale slipped over in defence, allowing the 33-year-old to dash to the line for his first try of the final. Carter missed his first kick of the night, but the All Blacks lead was growing, at 21-3 after 42 minutes of play.

Line-breaks from Drew Mitchell and Kurtley Beale ignited the Australian attack, as they showed the first real signs of the exciting play that saw Michael Cheika’s men progress to the World Cup’s final dance.

The Wallabies hard on the attack in New Zealand’s half, All Black fullback Ben Smith was sent to the sin bin after lifting Drew Mitchell past the horizontal.

Australia hit back off a quick lineout, with a driving maul backed by No.8 David Pocock. Like he did numerous times for the Brumbies in this year’s Super Rugby season, Pocock pressed forward to score his fifth Rugby World Cup try at a crucial point in the match.

Bernard Foley converted to put Australia into double figures, at 21-10 with 54 minutes spent.

The Aussies continued to build on their momentum in the second half, with a box kick from Will Genia exposing a gap in the 14-man All Blacks defence. The kick was picked up by Bernard Foley, who offloaded to a galloping Tevita Kuridrani to give the centre a 20 metre sprint to the try line. Kuridrani dotted it over, before the Wallaby flyhalf converted and brought his side back within four points. 21-17 at the 65-minute mark.

Wallaby flyer Drew Mitchell was replaced by Matt Toomua to undergo a concussion test, following on from a knock received in the phases before Kuridrani’s try.

Back to a full strength 15 as Ben Smith returned to the field, the All Blacks slowed the pace of the game down to regain a similar control to that of the first half. After building numerous back-to-back phases, Dan Carter dropped a field goal from 45 metres out to make it 24-17 with just 10 minutes remaining in the World Cup.

James Slipper was penalised at a scrum on halfway as the men in green and gold dropped their binds in the front row. The safe boot of Carter took yet another successful shot at goal pushing the All Blacks out to a 10-point advantage. 27-17.

The Wallabies threw everything at the brick wall that was the New Zealand defensive line, but could not make a dent in attack. A knock-on from Drew Mitchell on the left side of the field gave Ben Smith the ball to kick ahead for replacement Beauden Barrett to chase in the open field.

Barrett toed the ball ahead of the final Wallaby chaser in David Pocock, regathering and scoring next to the uprights.

Carter made his seventh successful kick of the night, as commentators declared New Zealand World Cup champions before the final whistle had blown.

Playing just 20 seconds after the kick off, Ben Smith kicked the ball into touch to end the game 34-17 in favour of the defending world champions.