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PARIS - All Blacks coach Graham Henry has vowed that his side "will bleed" in its bid to win the rugby World Cup that gets under way next week.
With the slew of warm-up matches over, the 20 teams that have qualified for rugby union's showcase tournament are busy going through their final paces before the action starts on September 7.
New Zealand, winners of the inaugural 1987 tournament and hot favourites this time around, have touched down on the French island of Corsica to fine-tune their preparations before relocating to the mainland and an opening game against Italy on September 8.
The All Blacks had to content themselves with a squad match last weekend while closest Cup rivals South Africa and France coasted to impressive wins over Scotland (27-3) and Wales (34-7).
They were performances impressive enough to suggest that Henry's New Zealanders will have to win a second World Cup the hard way, something the former Kiwi headmaster said he was prepared for.
"We will do our best," Henry said as his side set off for France. "We will give 150 per cent. We will bleed for you."
Henry said he was satisfied with his side's preparations. "We just have to put the icing on it now," he told RugbyHeaven.
Captain Richie McCaw added: "It's been a long build-up. That's gone well but I guess the next two months are what it is all about now."
McCaw said the 30-strong squad were attempting to offload the pressures of a nation desperate for World Cup success after a 20-year drought by focusing on personal performances.
"You have to put the weight of expectation aside a little bit and just do the job well, that's the way you have to look at it.
"For my personal point of view I'm going up to enjoy playing in what will be a special two months at the World Cup," said McCaw, whose side have not played since beating Australia 26-12 in the last match of the Tri-Nations series on July 21.
In South Africa, coach Jake White was sweating on the fitness of centre Jean de Villiers and also hoping that Northern Bulls winger Akona Ndungane will recover in time for the French adventure.
Both De Villiers and Ndungane are nursing rib injuries picked up during the Boks' earlier warm-up games against Namibia (105-13) and Connacht (18-3) respectively.
The loss of De Villiers would be a massive blow to the Boks' chances in the World Cup. The experienced No 12 is seen by many as the creative genius in midfield for White's team.
But Toulon-bound lock forward Victor Matfield was in no doubt over where the Boks were headed. "I believe we can go all the way," he said.
"We know World Cups are won by great defence and against Scotland we didn't concede any tries. We feel good and the more matches we play throughout the World Cup will see our conditioning get even better."
Hosts France can also approach the final run-in to an event expected to attract 350,000 visitors in buoyant mood.
Not only did France outscore Wales by four tries to one in the 34-7 thrashing, they did so with a side showing 11 changes to the starting line-up that beat England 22-9 in Marseille a week earlier.
"We don't care about talk of being favourites. The important thing is what we tell each other," said coach Bernard Laporte.
The Irish, who are in the same pool as France and the dangerous Argentina, have plenty of work to do after needing a last-minute try last weekend to beat Italy 23-20 in their first appearance in Belfast in 53 years.
Australia, meanwhile, will not be able to count on any input from retired Australian rugby league superstar Andrew Johns, who was ruled out of any World Cup role with the Wallabies after admitting being caught with ecstasy in London.
The legendary former Newcastle Knights captain and Australian halfback had worked with the Wallabies ahead of the World Cup and coach John Connolly said recently he hoped Johns could join the team in France.
But Australian Rugby Union boss John O'Neill said Thursday the ARU had not entered into any formal arrangement with him.
"It wasn't a done deal that he'd be contributing to the team in France," O'Neill said through a spokesman. "Given the current circumstances, the Wallabies will continue as is in France."
- AFP
