AUCKLAND (AFP) - The All Blacks put aside the massive blow that star playmaker Dan Carter was out of the World Cup Sunday as they led the top eight teams into the quarter-final shootout amid a rising injury toll. A patched-up New Zealand team, also missing star flanker Richie McCaw, overwhelmed Canada 79-15 to complete their pool matches unbeaten as the play-offs were sorted out along northern and southern hemisphere lines. They face Argentina in their first sudden-death game next weekend in their quest to end a 24-year World Cup drought without talismanic fly-half Carter who suffered a serious groin injury during kicking practice. Australia were confirmed as quarter-finalists to play South Africa after Ireland dashed Italys hopes of squeaking into the play-offs which left the Irish with an encounter against a Wales side growing in confidence. England, again faced with the distraction of off-field ill-discipline, play a struggling France who qualify despite a shock loss to Tonga. Carter, who was to have captained the All Blacks in the absence of McCaw who has suffered the recurrence of a foot injury, was ruled out of the match just hours before kick-off. He joined a growing list of players sidelined in the gruelling six-week tournament with South Africa and Australia rushing in replacements to prop up their injury-depleted sides, and England sweating on the fitness of Jonny Wilkinson. England have a cloud over Wilkinson and Mike Tindall who were injured in their narrow win over Scotland, French centre Aurelien Rougerie has a serious shoulder injury and Argentinas inspirational Felipe Contepomi continues to struggle with a rib injury. Englands focus on the World Cup was sidetracked by Tindall admitting his recollection of events with a woman in Queenstown was inaccurate and the team have also apologised for an incident at their hotel in Dunedin. Tindall, newly married to Zara Phillips, granddaughter of Britains Queen Elizabeth II, had insisted he returned to the team hotel alone after he was filmed with a woman in a bar in Queenstown. But he was forced to backtrack when photos emerged of the extended night out with the same woman in another bar where The Mail on Sunday newspaper said they behaved like a smooching teenage couple.