MARSEILLE - It's one versus two. The best of the south versus the pride of the north. France out to knock New Zealand off their perch atop world rugby.
Just don't mention these scenarios in the presence of All Blacks coach Graham Henry.
The All Blacks have been
built up to demi-god status by the British media on this tour, with injured England great Jonny Wilkinson not alone in describing Henry's team as potentially the best the sport has seen.
The superlatives continued after the All Blacks' effortless 41-20 demolition of England at Twickenham on Sunday, with flanker Richie McCaw and first five-eighth Daniel Carter widely deemed to be not of this earth.
Enough is enough was Henry's reaction when asked once again what put his team so far clear of every other nation.
"I think it's a fallacy quite frankly," the veteran coach shot back.
"We've won a few competitions of late which is good and that's what you try and do.
"But I don't think there's a huge gap between the top sides in the world and on their day, they can get a result."
Recent form suggests France will provide the All Blacks with their strongest possible tests at Lyon on Sunday morning (NZT) and at Paris a week later.
Like the All Blacks, Six Nations champions France have registered just one loss this year, a surprise defeat to Scotland in February.
The most recent start was perhaps their most ominous, beating South Africa 36-26 at Cape Town.
Henry has tired of constant reference to next year's World Cup in France and of how well his team were poised to end their run of four successive campaigns that have come up short since 1987.
Perhaps wary of his players easing up, he scotched such suggestions.
He said there was ample room to improve, something he hoped to see once his No 1 team were uncovered.
"We've set some objectives for the last couple of years and we've met those. Now we've set some objectives for this tour and we'll tick those at the end I guess," Henry said.
"The idea is to get the top 22 and give those players the opportunity to play two test matches together."
- NZPA
