France and World Cups equal glory and disaster and if you love an epic, it's time to revel in what we are about to receive, writes Chris Rattue.

Ever since the draw was made - some time last century - the World Cup was destined to march back in time to pit the All Blacks against France in a Cardiff quarterfinal.

It's France - could it be any other nation? The All Blacks will once again face their World Cup nemesis in a quarter-final in Cardiff.

France is the first team to reach the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals after beating Canada 41-18 in their Pool D match.

Live updates and stats from the Rugby World Cup pool D clash between France and Canada.

A bonus-point victory was the best thing France took away from the Olympic Stadium after struggling to put away a limited Romania side 38-11 today.

The French rugby team's woes continue - they've now been slapped with a parking ticket.

In a move which suggests that World Cup organisers have a sense of humour, France have been assigned a hotel in Croydon.

Sir Clive Woodward has claimed France would have won the 2011 Rugby World Cup final against the All Blacks if the match was 'refereed properly'.

Revelations about French drug-taking before the 1986 Battle of Nantes have not surprised All Black legend Wayne Shelford who was badly injured during that defeat.

In French rugby, different rules apply. Dan Carter got a taste of what life will be like at Racing Metro when he played five matches for Perpignan in 2009...

The rugby world has turned upside down. Australia, with its history of scrum woes.

From the get-go, this clash appealed as the tightest fixture of the day.

France operate at their best on raw emotion. They are at their best when they are seemingly hopeless cases. Then, the natural order of things tends to go out the window.

France, forever touted as an All Black nemesis, are nothing of the sort, writes Gregor Paul. Their record against NZ is fairly dire.

The All Blacks know the when, but they don't know where they will be facing France when they meet next and they have even less idea about what sort of side they will encounter.

Centre, wing or fullback - the questions about where Ben Smith is best suited are likely to continue for some time.

Contentment rather than elation flooded the All Black camp last night. Their ability to emerge triumphant against what they felt was the best French performance of the series was being cherished.

As Steve Hansen picks over the remains of this untidy All Blacks performance, he can at least comfort himself with the fact that he is more aware of several things about his players.