NZ keen to take vivre from la France

Reuters

IT'S WAR: French assistant coach Emile N'Tamack.

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C'est la guerre, the French would say. It's war. The battle lines have long ago been drawn, but there's no doubt next weekend's seismic clash of the hemispheres in Marseille has something extra riding on it.

And not just because it's the deciding match of the year between the All Blacks and France, after their 1-1 split in New Zealand in June. This contest has bragging rights for the entire planet riding on it, with Les Bleus very much the form side of the north and Graham Henry's men – after the dramatic demise of the burnt-out Boks – shouldering the pride of the south.

What a battlefield it will be too, Marseille's seething Stade Velodrome. It doesn't have the dimension or capacity of the more princely Stade de France in Paris, but it reeks atmosphere and passion and intensity in far greater quantities. The south of France is where rugby's heart beats fiercest, and the blood will be boiling there next Saturday night (Sunday morning, NZ time).

The All Blacks will wear white, too, despite France's jersey change to a lighter shade of blue. Given the experiences of Cardiff at the Rugby World Cup in 2007, and the cursed grey strip, they'll be eager to prove they can win a big one in change colours.

French assistant coach Emile N'Tamack told the Sunday Star-Times that his men, who sent out a second-string lineup against the Samoans this weekend, were riding high after their magnificent win over the Boks. "Beating the world champions and Tri-Nations winner was very important for the French team," he said. "It gives us a lot of confidence to know we can play like that.

"But each week is different and while we have confidence and know we can beat the All Blacks, we also know it's always tough to beat them. For me, they're the best team [in the world] because they can play a lot of different styles during a game."

N'Tamack said his feeling was that the 1-1 shared series in June in New Zealand was "maybe a bad moment" for the All Blacks. "I think the motivation for them is that it's very important to answer that result – to beat France in France. Like a revenge maybe."

He's a perceptive sort, N'Tamack. The All Blacks will indeed be motivated for a fixture they've long identified as the biggest test of their tour.

"The French played very well against the South Africans," said All Blacks coach Henry. "In the finish, they outpassioned them and were too physical for them. They're highly motivated, they had a good southern tour, they're building on the back of that and they've got some very good players.

"They'll be extremely difficult in Marseille.

"We know the French have lost one game in their history in Marseille. The last time they played the All Blacks there we got a hell of a hiding and we know it's going to be a huge game."

Nowhere will it be bigger than at scrum either. "We enjoy the scrum. I think for the mind it's very important," said N'Tamack of a facet where the Les Bleus destroyed the Boks. The French assistant coach also shrugged off the significance of France's win in Dunedin in June. "A lot of time has passed, and we might have to be better. Carter is back and for New Zealand that is very important. And Richie McCaw is playing at a very high level, as well as Conrad Smith. They are three players very important to the style of the New Zealand team.

"It's always special to play the All Blacks. For the French people the New Zealand team is the best team in the world.

"As a coach you know you have to have a little bit of luck to beat them. It's why it will be a great moment if we can win. It would be a big step."

- © Fairfax NZ News