Christian Cullen: All Blacks won't be out for revenge

Christian Cullen was pleased with what he saw from Nehe Milner-Skudder. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Opinion

The All Blacks won't mind who they face in next weekend's quarter-final. For different reasons, they will be happy to play either France or Ireland.

In the case of France, it's a quarter-final in Cardiff.

It might seem like it was always meant to be, after the infamous match between the two sides there in 2007.

But revenge won't be on the minds of the players - it should never enter a player's psyche - yet it will be a massive game and players want to play on the biggest stage.

You never really know what you are going to get from the French, which makes them a threat - they lost two pool games in 2011 and nearly imploded off the field but almost beat the All Blacks in the final - equally, the All Blacks could have put 40 or 50 points on them.

Ireland have never beaten New Zealand and, while they have been going about their business well, there will be lingering doubt in their minds about whether they can ever beat the All Blacks.

The mind is an incredibly powerful thing. It's like preparing for pool matches and saying you're going to attack it as hard as a big game but, deep down, you know you can get away with performing at 60 or 70 per cent.

That has probably been a problem for the All Blacks so far at the World Cup - although they still put on 47 points against a really committed Tonga, which isn't bad if they were at 60 or 70 per cent. But things will change this week. Everyone around the team hotel will see an edge, something different in the eyes of the players. No matter what anyone says, there's a different edge to playing the likes of Australia or South Africa than Georgia, Namibia and Tonga.

That's why I have been comfortable throughout about what I have seen from the All Blacks. Yes, it hasn't always been fluent and they haven't played with enough intensity, but I would much rather be where the All Blacks are than England, or even Wales and Australia.

It will be really interesting to see who wins the Australia/Wales game tomorrow morning but it will have been another tough match and both teams will be feeling it. They will have play another three really tough games for them to win the World Cup and that's a big ask after so many difficult games already.

The All Blacks also have to win three big games now and beat good sides. They have got through pool play largely unscathed, with only Tony Woodcock injured, and showed signs in the second half of finding form.

The first half today wasn't great but any team playing the All Blacks will throw everything they have at the game and it takes time to wear teams down.

Games aren't won in the first 20 minutes and you have to wear teams down by doing the business. I knew Tonga would run out of steam.

The physicality wasn't there from the All Blacks initially to get front-foot ball and that comes down to attitude. You have to want to make that tackle or clear a player out.

We saw that in the second half yesterday and holes started to open. Nehe Milner-Skudder was one who took advantage and he must have cemented the right wing spot now.

I'm really pleased for him because I've long thought he deserves a starting spot but you have to wonder whether Waisake Naholo is OK and whether his leg is still playing up given he was replaced again early in the second half.