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CARDIFF - All Black lock Ali Williams says France's ability to "pull out something just magical" will make them dangerous opponents when they face tournament favourites New Zealand in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
It would be considered a huge upset were France, who've lost their last
seven Tests against New Zealand, to win on Saturday at the Millennium Stadium.
Then again, it was an equally big surprise when they beat New Zealand 43-31 in an astonishing semi-final victory at Twickenham during the 1999 World Cup.
"We're all aware of what France are capable of, Williams told reporters at the squad's hotel here Wednesday. "They are a side that can do anything.
"Sometimes, no matter how prepared you are, they can pull out something just magical," the 26-year-old added.
Auckland second row Williams said France's capacity to produce moments of off-the-cuff brilliance made things awkward for their opponents during training. "You've just got to take their set-pieces, analyse them and and get what you can from that.
"You've got to expect it but also to expect the unexpected, especially with a side like France."
But one area where it looks as if Bernard Laporte's side are going to try to challenge New Zealand is the lineout.
France's back-row can all act as lineout jumpers, particularly in-form No 8 Julien Bonnaire, while former captain Fabien Pelous, his country's most-capped player, has been recalled to the second row.
"He has experience, he has physicality. He is a very passionate Frenchman, I'm not surprised at all," said Williams of Pelous's inclusion.
"Forwards, it's a pretty simple role really: run into each other full tilt and see who comes off best."
This fixture could see Williams up against Sebastien Chabal, who will start on the bench, for the first time since June when a collision between the pair during the teams' previous encounter, a 61-10 win for New Zealand in Wellington - France's record Test defeat - left the All Black with a broken jaw.
But Williams, who is closing in on 50 caps, insisted he bore the back-row, nicknamed the 'Caveman' for his long hair and beard, no malice.
"There are no individual battles between me and him, why would there be. It's like anyone else that got injured in a tackle. Do they then go and seek revenge? You wouldn't play the game if you were like that."
Asked what he would do if he saw Chabal before the game, Williams replied: "I'll probably shake his hand and say 'how are you doing mate? I've got no anger towards him."
New Zealand's failures to win the World Cup since becoming the first side to lift the Webb Ellis Trophy on home soil in 1987 have turned the competition into a national obsession in the rugby-mad country.
Williams, responding to a question about the consequences of defeat in Cardiff, said: "Hopefully the plane (home) will get diverted."
- AFP
