There was a marked lift in intensity at the All Blacks' penultimate training run in Marseille today.
The session was shorter than normal at just over an hour, but the All Blacks packed a lot into that time frame, with the players chastising themselves for any errors, though they were
few and far between.
Second five Ma'a Nonu took a full part for the first time this week, showing no signs from the bruised leg that had him on limited duties on Monday and Tuesday.
The All Blacks will hold their final training, the traditional captain's run, tomorrow afternoon at the test match venue of Stade Velodrome.
Fullback Mils Muliaina is calling for cool heads in Sunday morning?s test against France.
The fervour surrounding the test, which some are now dubbing the Autumn International Final, is growing in the port city.
Muliaina says remaining calm and focused will be vital.
Muliaina was the All Blacks captain when the French claimed the Dave Gallaher Trophy mid year with a better cumulative score over the two tests, and he is determined to win it back.
He says they know how special the Dave Gallaher trophy is with the history behind it.
As for the French, it looks likely the home side will not appear publicly in Marseille before the test against the All Blacks on Sunday morning.
France, who arrive in Marseille tomorrow, will hold their captain's run in private, having held their pre-test media conference earlier today.
Coach Marc Lievremont has left it to the last possible moment to arrive in the test match city, having based the squad at the ultra-modern French Training Facility just south of Paris for the majority of the week.
- NEWSTALK ZB
