All Blacks: Together, we can make it

Unsure of what the French will throw at them, the All Blacks are prepared for anything. Photo / Richard Robinson

When All Black Piri Weepu slaps his headphones on, a track called Together we made it often pounds out of his playlist.

The song could be the call to arms for the All Blacks tomorrow when they wheel into their Rugby World Cup final work against France.

It is an update on the 1995 fax to the All Blacks which suggested that "rugby is a team game so all 14 of you give the ball to Jonah".

Tomorrow's final at Eden Park is the 12th test for the All Blacks in the 14 weeks since they wheeled out their squad against Fiji in late July. A month ago at the same venue, the All Blacks triumphed 37-17 against tomorrow's same French foe.

Same in name at least. After that defeat, France brought the hard edge of Nicolas Mas, William Servat and Imanol Harinordoquy into their pack and the side's resolve solidified.

Meanwhile the All Blacks have lost Daniel Carter from five-eighths duty in that match but gained Kieran Read from the injured list and shifted Adam Thomson on to the bench.

Four successive physical matches may have dulled France's physical edge as they battled through close matches against Tonga, England and Wales. They have also had player-coach shenanigans in the public eye.

Les Tricolors have clawed their way to the tournament conclusion, they have shown more mental resolve than others on the same side of the draw to get their third shot at World Cup glory. It happens every 12 years and the All Blacks will hope the French are as successful as they were in their 1987 and 1999 attempts.

It is a novel experience for everyone except French coach Marc Lievremont who was a flanker in the 1999 final when France lost 35-12 to the Wallabies. For all his vast experience, this is a rare first for All Black supremo Graham Henry.

He felt the side's routine was on the money, the All Blacks had a light physical buildup for the final because of their workload throughout the tournament. While that might have been less than normal, their attention to detail and mental application was in the heavy-duty category.

It was all about "being astute in what you do" to make sure the players had plenty of energy left for the physical challenge tomorrow. Henry and his crew were unsure how France would deal with the game or what frame of mind they would be in.

"This French team, we are not sure who will turn up quite frankly so we have got to prepare that they are going to be the best in the world and they have certainly got the individuals to do that, it is just whether they can produce that as a side," he said.

Word was they had prepared well and were very focused and enjoying the underdog tag. "They were using as much of the ammunition as they could through the media to get themselves up there, so you," he said pointing around the room, "are doing a good job for them."

Henry mused about tough times he and the All Blacks had endured at World Cups. He hoped this time they could rectify those records and earn a trophy to sit alongside their No1 world ranking.

"I have been with these guys for a long time and although they might be ranked the leading team in the world, they have never been world champions," he said.

"So for Richie and the boys it would be fabulous. You don't deserve that title until you do the job but I think they are good enough."