Rugby Union: France 11 - 23 New Zealand

France's two Tests against the All Blacks suggest that, if Wales are to end New Zealand's winning run in the northern hemisphere, which they have extended to a dozen games, they face a mental challenge which is arguably as extreme as the physical questions posed by Jerry Collins, Ma'a Nonu and company.

Having failed to turn up in Lyon the previous Saturday, France at least got in the way of New Zealand in Paris, smothering them in the tackle, contesting every breakdown and thus preventing the visitors playing as they wanted to for 80 minutes. But the cumulative score of 70-14, nine tries to one over the two matches, underlines the gap between north and south. The France mind-set was one of damage limitation, exemplified in the final 20 minutes.

With the All Blacks 15 points ahead but with France at least showing the capacity to retain the ball and go forward, Dimitri Yachvili - acting captain after Rafaël Ibanez had been substituted - twice opted to kick penalties for goal when he could have set up attacking lineouts in the New Zealand 22. This was hardly the most wholehearted way to honour a century of fixtures between the two nations and on the second occasion, with two minutes remaining, the Stade de France crowd rightly gave him the bird.

"New Zealand do have a psychological grip on everyone," admitted the France flanker Serge Betsen. "It's the same with all great sides. They remind me of Toulouse at a certain time but what happens when a side is that far ahead is that the others gradually pull themselves up to their level. The All Blacks can be beaten but you have to give yourself the chance. You have to play in their half, get in their faces and force them into mistakes."

Ibanez agreed. "To beat New Zealand you have to be their equals physically, hold them, hold them, hold them, then hope they make a mistake. But we were poor in our use of the ball sometimes, we lacked opportunism and were nervous in taking the ball up to them. If you just batter their line, you play into their hands."

Ibanez accepted that France had not managed to do a great deal more than slow down the All Blacks while limiting their own error count. But even a single mistake against this New Zealand side is one too many: a hasty throw-in and a poor kick by Aurelien Rougerie just before half-time gave their opponents the opening that was all they needed. Richie McCaw, Daniel Carter and Sitiveni Sivivatu's counter- attack was incisive and lightning fast and inevitably it ended in a try for Joe Rokocoko. Until then France had at least been clinging on, with Cedric Heymans' early try to three penalties for Carter.

Afterwards, until Rougerie's breakout in the final minute, they largely ran into the black defence line, with Damien Traille looking too slow-footed and slow-witted to wear the fly-half jersey at this level. Even the flaky Frédéric Michalak would have asked more questions of the All Blacks than Traille, who restricts himself to a basic Garryowen or a short pass.

The All Blacks travel to Cardiff well aware that they will face a side who at least can offer more potency and inventiveness on turnover ball than France.

"Wales have a lot of potential to play a very attacking game and can stretch any side in the world on their day," said the All Black head coach Graham Henry. "They were the best team in Europe by a street in 2005, they lost a lot of key players through injury last season but those guys are back now."

Henry felt that of the three Tests his side have played this autumn, Saturday's will be of most benefit to his men in the medium-term, simply because France produced "a real Test match" after their powderpuff display the previous week. "There was a huge amount of pressure and it will help us for the future."

Wales, on the other hand, will need to avoid France's errors, produce more in attack and at least be on a par physically.

France: Elhorga (Agen; Dominici, Stade Français, 72); Rougerie (Clermont-Auvergne), Fritz (Toulouse), Jauzion (Toulouse), Heymans (Toulouse); Traille (Biarritz), Elissalde (Toulouse; Yachvili, Biarritz, 30); Milloud (Bourgoin), Ibanez (capt, Wasps; Szarzewski, Stade Français, 56), De Villiers (Stade Français; Marconnet, Stade Français, 56), Nallet (Castres), Pape (Castres; Jacquet, Clermont-Auvergne, 72), Bonnaire (Bourgoin), Martin (Stade Français; Betsen, Biarritz, 56), Vermeulen (Clermont-Auvergne).

Try Heymans. Pens Yachvili 2.

New Zealand: McDonald (Canterbury); Rokocoko (Auckland), Muliaina (Waikato), Nonu (Wellington), Sivivatu (Waikato); Carter (Canterbury; Evans, Otago, 77), Kelleher (Waikato; Ellis, Canterbury, 77); Woodcock (North Harbour; Tialata, Wellington, 59), Mealamu (Auckland; Hore, Taranaki, 77), Hayman (Otago), Jack (Tasman; Eaton, Taranaki, 62), Williams (Auckland), Collins (Wellington), McCaw (capt, Canterbury), So'oialo (Wellington; Masoe, Wellington,72 ).

Tries Rokocoko, Nonu. Cons Carter 2. Pens Carter 3.

Referee C White (England). Attendance 78,000