All-Blacks warned that France will be tougher
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Your support makes all the difference.Taine Randell has warned his wounded troops that France are likely to provide an even sterner test for them than England – their conquerors last weekend.
A weakened All Blacks were beaten 31-28 at Twickenham – only their fifth defeat in 97 years against the English. And the New Zealand captain believes they are unlikely to find life any easier at the Stade de France tonight. Last weekend, France beat South Africa 30-10 and Randell said: "The expectation is that France are going to have a heap of confidence after they played the Springboks and dealt with them so effectively last weekend. My abiding memory of France-All Black games is that it is an absolute collision of two teams who want to win."
Following their loss to England, the New Zealand coach John Mitchell has rung the changes, with the free-scoring full-back Christian Cullen returning to the side while Andrew Mehrtens, Mark Robinson, Danny Lee and Brad Mika all start the game.
France have gone for the side that recorded their biggest win over South Africa, so Thomas Castaignède retains his place in his comeback from a cruciate injury.
* The career of South Africa prop Willie Meyer is in the balance following the news that he will have to undergo a neck operation. Meyer missed the Springboks' defeat by France last weekend with the injury.
FRANCE (v New Zealand, Paris, today): N Brusque; V Clerc, T Castaignède, D Traille, C Heymans; F Gelez, F Galthié (capt); J-J Crenca, R Ibanez, P de Villiers, F Pelous, O Brouzet, S Betsen, O Magne, I Harinordoquy. Replacements: J-B Rue, S Marconnet, T Privat, S Chabal, D Yachvili, G Merceron, X Garbajosa.
NEW ZEALAND: C Cullen; D Howlett, T Umaga, M Robinson, J Lomu; A Mehrtens, D Lee; J McDonnell, A Hore, K Meeuws, A Williams, B Mika, T Randell (capt), M Holah, S Broomhall. Replacements: K Mealamu, C Hayman, K Robinson, R So'oialo, S Devine, P Steinmetz, B Blair.
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