KEY POINTS:
Corsica, famous as the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte, will host the All Blacks this month as they begin their latest quest for the World Cup.
Tournament rules state teams have to base themselves inside French territory 10 days before their first match, so as a relaxed first venue where they can stretch their legs the All Blacks have chosen the "Scented Isle" off the south-east coast of France
On one of many reconnaissance trips manager Darren Shand has made to France, he was pointed towards Corsica as an ideal place for the team to get over jetlag, get used to the Mediterranean sun at this time of year and indulge in some casual aerobic activity.
"We will be looking mainly at getting over the time shift. We will want our guys out in the sun for a fair part of the day because it helps to overcome those changes," Shand said.
"We have designated times of the day when we don't want guys in their rooms, we want them out doing a few things to help get over the jetlag."
On their long-haul flight to the World Cup, the All Blacks will be encouraged to wear compression tights, use humidifiers, drink plenty of fluids and to make judicious use of sleeping tablets to get through the marathon flight. When they reach Heathrow via Hong Kong, they will make a 45-minute bus ride to Luton for their charter flight to Corsica.
Their reconditioning done on the island, the All Blacks will make a short 30-minute flight to Marseille, where they will then base themselves for the first fortnight of the tournament before shifting to another HQ in the south of France at Aix-en-Provence.
Everything has been scrutinised in detail - project manager Steve Cottrell has just returned from a final lengthy check of venues, hotels and training grounds.
"He has had a number of meetings with organisers, down to making sure we have big beds where we need them," said Shand. "There will always be things that don't quite go to plan but if we get about 85 to 90 per cent of our requests we will be doing okay."
Many of the All Blacks have experienced France and all her nuances in the 2004 and 2006 trips and are well prepared for the cultural changes.
In spite of the perceptions that the All Blacks have a pretty cruisy job round their playing and training duties, Shand explained that their weeks were fairly full of appointments.
In a typical week, the All Blacks would train every day, they would also complete two weight sessions, everyone would be required to front two media calls and one commercial activity for adidas and Powerade, the manager said.
Around those activities the players would undergo regular massages and have individual meetings with coaching staff and mentors Sir Brian Lochore and Gilbert Enoka.
The leadership group would also meet every week while the others would go through game-plans and analyse their opponents.
"Mornings will usually be for trainings then recovery at the pool, lunch, media sessions then weights work and meetings and then it is almost time for dinner," Shand said.
"There will be all sorts of other activities like hosting children at our practices in Marseille, going to mayoral functions and that sort of thing."
Shand said the side's Jean Bouin training venue had been all titivated and had not had any sporting traffic for the last two months. It will be hammered when the All Blacks arrive.
Baggage man Errol Collins is sending half of the All Blacks' five tonnes of luggage ahead of the team and they will pick up the scrum machine and other equipment they store in London for their annual forays to the Northern Hemisphere.
As the All Blacks go through their early training in Marseille the coaches will fly to Paris for a briefing with the referees and IRB referees' boss Paddy O'Brien on how the laws will be applied during the tournament.
Shand saw few hurdles in keeping the 30 players on track for what they hope will be a two-month tournament.
"They are pretty good at doing that themselves. It does not always fall on management to be prescriptive about what people need to do. There are a lot of people within the group who put their hands up.
"The All Blacks carry such a huge reputation over there that so many people come up to you with more opportunities than you can fill. Like last year EuroDisney invited us out there, so that was great, and Byron [Kelleher] does a fantastic job finding out about activities we can do."
The side would like to take advantage of the cafe culture on their doorsteps and they also hoped to take some time off during the cup.
Shand would not be specific about that but suggested the team might have some downtime in the south of France after their third pool match against Scotland.
Curfews would not exist but this week's training camp in Christchurch would be another chance to discuss the topic after six players were fined for being out extra late before the Bledisloe Cup test at Eden Park.
Partners and wives would be welcome; about a dozen would travel and be near the side early on the tour and others would travel over later in the tournament.
"They say to us, 'If we come all this way can we have some time with our husband or partners', and we have set up some plans around that, around days off and our schedule in Scotland and the Toulouse week," said Shand.
"We have had a rule that women are banned from the players' floor but they won't be banned from the hotel or being with us."
Shand said the side would adopt a common-sense approach about partners being with the team but he did point out that sides invariably played best at home and it might help the All Blacks if they could replicate that sort of environment.
"It is all about trying to be as normal as possible, and travelling to Europe is not cheap for wives and partners. The guys and leadership group will make the right calls about what we should do."
Many of the players had been taking French lessons, and they would have help from Christchurch teacher Akli Lafdal, who would travel with the side as a liaison man, translator and mentor.
"Don't get us wrong. This tournament is all about winning the World Cup but it is also about building good relationships with the people we work with, enhancing our reputations with the [International Rugby Board], the locals and the organising committee.
"We have to take the approach of working with them rather than against them."
Fine-tuning the troops
Parlez-vous?
Many of team are taking French lessons and will have the help of translator Akli Lafdal, who will travel with the side as a liaison man, interpreter and mentor.
WAGS
Partners welcome at hotel but likely to be banned from players' floor.
Daily routine
"Mornings will usually be for trainings then recovery at the pool, lunch, media sessions then weights work and meetings and then it is almost time for dinner," says All Black manager Darren Shand.
Pity the baggage man
Errol Collins will be responsible for five tonnes of luggage.
How to long-haul
On their flight to France the All Blacks will be encouraged to wear compression tights, use humidifiers, drink plenty of fluids and take sleeping tablets.
