We look at the French players who may wield the greatest influence in Sunday morning's World Cup quarter-final against the All Blacks at Cardiff.

When France gave the All Blacks a hell of a fight.

Photo of French player appearing to shoulder-barge coach adds to fears squad is in disarray.

Sudden-death matches can bring out the best, and the worst, in players, and All Blacks lock Luke Romano is preparing to fight fire with fire against France in Sunday's World Cup quarter-final.

OPINION: The French are as much hung up on 2007 as New Zealanders are, writes Gregor Paul.

For Kiwi Genevieve Gibson and her French fiance Fabien Le Gall, this weekend's quarter-final clash between the All Blacks and France is a different kind of test.

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.

Live updates and stats from the Rugby World Cup pool D clash between France and Romania at the Olympic Stadium.

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.

Every one of today's final round of JWC pool games has something riding on it, but none more so, as far as the home side is concerned, than the Wales-France Pool B showdown in Albany.

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