KEY POINTS:
All Black coach Graham Henry has defended his side's decision to take a two-day break from World Cup duty next week as sensible work practice.
In a move which will provoke memories of the 1999 All Blacks' detour to the south of France before their quarter-final, this year's
tournament favourites have been given a leave pass in the same region.
After the side's third pool game against Scotland at Murrayfield, they will return by direct charter flight to their Aix-en-Provence base and told not to clock back on until midweek.
"We think this is the best way for us to approach things," coach Graham Henry said in confirming the interlude.
"We have had this planned for some time and nothing we have seen so far has made us alter our thinking."
Henry said a number of the team's wives, partners and families would join the All Blacks, who have block-booked their secluded boutique Le Pigonnet Hotel which has hosted Posh and Becks, U2 and the Marseille soccer side.
"We just want to give the players some space for a few days. A lot of them will stay here and do day trips throughout the area while others will go away for a while."
Henry said there was no comparison with the 1999 episode when the All Blacks flew en masse to the French Riviera for several days before returning to Edinburgh where they struggled to overcome Scotland 30-18 in their quarter-final.
The 2007 squad were based in Aix anyway and it was an appropriate time in the event to give them some down time.
"We have worked them harder than we would normally in test weeks, through these preliminary rounds. We have really tried to improve their physical readiness over these qualifying rounds and we have built into the programme."
The squad has used a day each week for skill development, another for conditioning, another for set piece and defence - they had been training differently although they had been more in test mode for Monday's match against Scotland.
Henry said the side's easier passage through their section had nothing to do with the idea of giving the team a break. It was the right time in their schedule before their final pool game against Romania.
Before the World Cup began the All Blacks spent three days in Corsica, recovering from the travel fatigue and getting used to the climate before they were immersed in civic, marketing and playing obligations during the first week in Marseille.
