Rugby World Cup 2011: New Zealand name an unchanged side for final against France

The nation is jittery enough and not in the mood for alarms and late panics and there was neither as Graham Henry read out the names.

No changes to the starting XV and no late panics. Captain Richie McCaw has been struggling with an ankle problem, but wild horses won’t stop him for 80 minutes on Sunday - longer if required - against France.

In the only alteration from the squad that defeated Australia in the semi-finals, Adam Thomson has recovered from an ankle strain to take his place on the bench.

It's an experienced and predictable line-up boasting 708 caps for the All Blacks sixth World Cup meeting with the French and a repeat of the first ever World Cup Final in 1987, the only other time the competition has been staged in New Zealand.

“This is the biggest game of the players lives and there is obvious excitement and anticipation at what lies ahead,” said Henry as he unveiled his team. “To be playing in the final of the Rugby World Cup in front of out own crowd is going to be massive and a very special occasion for the team as wall as our fans.

"The support the team has received from New Zealanders throughout the country has been incredibly humbling and we know the public wil be right behind us on Sunday night.

"It's been a quiet week, the guys have prepared well, this is our 12th Test match in 14 weeks and I don't think that has ever happend before.

"It’s pretty demanding so we we have just had to make sure we dovetail our training. You can’t be overphysical in training and we haven't been. Quite a few of the boys know they have played 12 Test matches in the last three months.

"This French team, we are not sure who is going to turn up so we have got to prepare as if they are the best team in the world. They certainly have the players to be that. They are enjoying the underdogs tag, the media is doing a good job for them. They think they are not being considered for this final but we are not making that mistake.

"They are a very good team. Their forward pack is as good a pack as we will play in this tournament and they have backs who can hurt you.”

There was a brief debate over what to do with Sonny Bill Williams but Conrad Smith and Ma’a Nonu have always been nailed on as New Zealand’s big match centre pairing and despite his talent and firepower Williams has stuggled to get past the elegant Richard Kahui on the left wing.

There is in any case a strong suggestion that his most effective role is to add impetus coming off the bench.

Generally this side has been picking itself for a few games now which is exactly as it should be, barring injuries, when closing in on a World Cup.

Piri Weepu, very much a 50-50 selection before the World Cup, has nailed down a starting role at scrum-half and will again have the task of easing young Aaron Dagg through proceedings while taking care of the goalkicking. Such extra responsibility seems to have been the making of Weepu.

Essentially New Zealand show just two injury enforced changes from the team that beat France 37-17 in the pool match at Eden Park a month ago, with Aaron Cruden in for Dan Carter - who susequently ruptured a tendon in his groin - and Kieran Read, who has always been the preferred choice at No 8, now fully reintegrated into the back row since returning from an ankle injury.

Thomson played and indeed scored for the All Blacks against the French, although he has also experienced subsequent injury problems.

France, accused by some of picking an understrength team that night, have selected 11 players who started that match, while Nicolas Mas was unavailable and William Servat and Imanol Harinordoquy played a half each. These two side know each other very well indeed.

Meanwhile New Zealand can fall back on a stuning record at Eden Park, where they have claimed 26 consecutive wins in a run dating back 17 years.

The last time they failed to win there was in 1994 when they drew with the Spriingboks, having lost earlier that season to the French.

New Zealand: I Dagg (Hawkes Bay); C Jane, C Smith, M Nonu (all Wellington), R Kahui (Waikato); A Cruden (Waikato), P Weepu (Wellington); T Woodcock (North Harbour), K Mealamu (Auckland), O Franks, S Whitelock, B Thorn (all Canterbury), J Kaino (Auckland), R McCaw (Canterbury, capt), K Read (Canterbury).
Replacements: A Hore, B Franks, A Williams, A Thomson, A Ellis, S Donald, S B Williams.