SYDNEY - Don't dare suggest to France that nothing is riding on tonight's match.
Coach Bernard Laporte might be fielding a largely second-string line-up, but the players selected are determined to produce a good showing against the similarly disappointed New Zealanders.
Only two players who started against England on Sunday have retained
their starting spots - New Zealand-born centre Tony Marsh and prop Sylvain Marconnet.
New hooker and captain Yannick Bru, who first led France against the United States in Wollongong on October 31, said the match was still important for their future.
Halfback Fabien Galthie and pivot Gerard Merceron have already announced their retirements, and other senior players are likely to join them after tonight.
Team manager Jo Maso suggested the starting team were a long-term side for the French, possibly the core of the side to contest the 2007 tournament on home soil.
Bru, who played against the All Blacks at Christchurch in June, said the reserves wanted to prove they were worthy.
"I don't know what the French [coaching] staff will be next season. We don't know if we have another chance to play for France."
Bru, who deputised for 1999 captain Raphael Ibanez during the tournament, admitted the under-used French had their work cut out against a top-strength All Black team, minus injured halfback Justin Marshall.
"We have had many details to prepare and we've had only two training sessions ... I think it will be hard."
But they may take some comfort from their performance at Jade Stadium, where 10 of their 22-strong squad saw action against virtually an identical All Black side.
New Zealand, who are missing only axed hooker Anton Oliver and centre Tana Umaga, won 31-23, but the French pack caused plenty of problems.
"We had quite a good game," Bru recalled.
The French arrived from South America with a sense of trepidation. "We lost two games to Argentina and we feared a big defeat, so we were tight and focused," he said.
"The fear now is exactly the same. We've changed 13 players to start this game. Now we again fear a heavy loss - because our players have not spent a lot of time on the field since the start of the cup."
- NZPA
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