KEY POINTS:
PARIS - French rugby legend Philippe Sella has questioned the mental toughness of his country's leading players and whether they are fit enough to match the All Blacks' non-stop style in the test here on Sunday morning (NZ time).
Sella, one of the greatest centres the game has seen, worried that the All Blacks backs were in a different league to France's, mainly because they were fitter and faster.
He said it was apparent the French players tired when confronted with opponents who were prepared to be innovative from anywhere on the field and do not stop for 80 minutes -- as New Zealand did in the 47-3 humiliation of the hosts at Lyon last weekend.
"The All Blacks attacked from their own 20m line, from deep, from all over, and in the end we ran out of oxygen," Sella said through a translator at a World Cup rugby function today.
"Our team is not fit enough."
All Blacks fullback Leon MacDonald this week spoke of how his team were more reliant on speed and fitness, rather than size, to suit their gameplan.
"We've got naturally fast players but to play a high tempo game for 80 minutes you've got to have fitness as well. I suppose it's getting the balance between them right and that's what the trainers are for," he said.
"We probably don't spend as much time in the gym as the Northern Hemisphere teams. We're always trying to use the ball in the best way possible to score a try.
"The coaches are big on us that if the option's on to run with it we'll go for it; if it's not, we've got all options."
Sella, who played a French record 111 tests, was surprised with the lack of fight from his team at Lyon and suggested they over-estimated their own ability.
"They didn't realise how intensely you need to play the game, they didn't play with the rage that was needed."
The mental side of rugby had always been a problem for the French.
Sella said that was best exemplified by the fact that their two finest World Cup performances -- the 1987 semifinal defeat of Australia and 1999 semifinal win over New Zealand -- were followed by listless performances in both finals.
"Maybe we should celebrate for just one day and one day only after games," Sella said.
"We are more and more professional today.
"They must think always about the World Cup but be careful because of the pressure."
- NZPA