KEY POINTS:
Can the All Blacks maintain the incredibly high standards set last week in Lyon?
Is this really the best 15 and have concessions been made in the reserves?
Can France provide better opposition against what looks on paper a stronger selection?
What is the state of
world rugby if the top-ranked team keeps thrashing the No 2?
These are the areas of interest for this All Blacks test - let alone what might happen next week in Wales.
With the selection of Ma'a Nonu and Mils Muliaina in the centres, Henry has maybe conceded this area is far from clear in the selectors' minds.
The official comment is that Nonu is the form centre, and Leon MacDonald/Muliaina are of the highest quality, therefore positions have to be jigged to get all three on the field.
The rider being that while these guys are the best things can change from week to week.
What happened to the phrase "form is temporary but class is permanent"?
If this was the World Cup final, would this combination play?
Probably not.
What it does say is that Henry and co have a far higher opinion of Nonu than we armchair critics and, to be fair, they obviously are a bit closer to the action than those of us at the end of a Sky remote.
Nonu's apparent deficiencies have been well documented - maybe Henry and his assistant Wayne Smith are more interested in expanding his strengths and, with the help of Dan Carter and Muliaina, protecting his weaknesses. It makes sense to me.
The drums were beating for Keith Robinson at lock but the form of Ali Williams and experience of Chris Jack have prevailed.
Frankly, I thought Jack may have been more in danger of missing selection than Williams, given what each has been contributing lately.
It will be interesting to see if the lineout can maintain the consistency of the last two weeks.
I doubt the French will roll over like last weekend, although with Raphael Ibanez chucking the ball in like a shot-putter the All Blacks may again have a field day.
The selection of the reserves seems to be a reward for effort on the training field, with the likes of Andrew Hore and Andrew Ellis given the opportunity for some game time ahead of the better and more experienced pair, Anton Oliver and Piri Weepu.
In Ellis' case it's probably also a case of the selectors wanting to see how he handles the pressure and atmosphere of a match in Paris.
On paper, this team should be better than last week and the quality of performance will depend more on the mental attitude rather than talent.
This is a perfect rehearsal for the quarter-final, semifinal scenario of a World Cup.
How often have we been world-beaters in the quarters and rubbish in the semis?
So it's a test of the coaches' ability to maintain the intensity and the players' mental toughness to improve the standards already set.
A drop in quality of performance should be scrutinised and reasons for it explained.
The French will surely be better than last week. Laporte has made four changes in the pack hoping to improve the setpiece and will be wanting more from his backline in defence and attack.
I suspect the mental damage of Lyon and Paris in 2004 may be too much to overcome.
There has been comment about repeating another victory a la Nantes in 1986 when France crushed the All Blacks with a mix of passion and brutality.
I recall the match well. I was there. That All Black team carried many injured players into the match - eight games in 3 1/2 weeks with a playing squad of 25 had taken its toll.
The French team had greats like Serge Blanco and Philippe Sella to call on. Even so the All Blacks' play that day was lacking in passion - in the words of teammate Mark Shaw "not good enough for an All Black jersey".
The circumstances of this match are so completely different that if Laporte and his players are expecting another Nantes they are dreaming.
If Sunday's result is similar to last week in Lyon then the French will be mentally crushed, players will be dropped and Laporte's plans and strategy will be in tatters.
The gulf between the number one and two ranked teams in the world will make every nation appreciate the talent and form of this great All Black squad and all will be scheming to bring them down.
I wonder if the selection of Nonu, Muliaina and MacDonald is Henry's way of keeping the hunting pack off the trail of what he really thinks and wants.
Despite expectations of a predictable win, this test still holds much interest.
For the All Blacks, it is another chance to bamboozle the rest of the rugby world.
For France, it's a chance of redemption and maybe to save the odd career.
