That was eight years ago.’It’s always something special to play New Zealand.
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After four years of playing uninspired rugby, France have no choice but to play the game of their lives when they meet holders New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals this morning.
“They’re very instinctive rugby players and when they’ve got their backs to the wall that’s when they really let it loose”.
The winners will take on the Springboks for a place in the final.
If anything, the All Blacks are braced for surprises coming from the French with assistant coach Ian Foster saying they were taking no notice of reports about dissention in the ranks of les Bleus.
The term “French flair” has been repeatedly used around the All Blacks this week as they prepare for their World Cup quarter-final at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
France ended its Pool D campaign with a 24-9 defeat to Ireland, which is why coach Philippe Saint-Andre’s lineup is facing the All Blacks rather than Argentina.
Parra started against New Zealand in the 2011 final, which the All Blacks won 8-7, but started in an unfamiliar role as flyhalf. Although Morath trimmed the deficit slightly with another penalty, New Zealand quickly added to their tally as they forced the Tongans back, patiently working through the phases before Carter spread the ball wide for wing Milner-Skudder to dive over for another converted touchdown.
Thierry Dusautoir knows what it takes to beat the All Blacks at the Rugby World Cup and the France captain insists dwelling on the past is not the answer. The history of the World Cup says everything can happen.
England aside, the best eight teams have won through to the quarter-finals to be held in London and Cardiff this weekend.
“If we can make them have doubts we can do something”, he said.
Regarding New Zealand’s decisive clash against France, Williams commented: “Form in the pool stages becomes irrelevant now, this is knock out rugby”.
“And apart from the Rainbow Warrior we’ve probably been on the same page for most of the time”.
“Over the years I’ve played him a few times and you always know he’s there”, McCaw said of Dusautoir. “We will have to create our own history on Saturday”, scrum-half Sebastien Tillous-Borde said.
“Quite honestly, this will be a game that will stay engraved in our memories for a long time”, said hooker Benjamin Kayser. With Mathieu [Bastareaud] starting on the bench, we have a good impact player.
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“These guys are heroes now, and when you have heroes, you want to emulate them”.
