Just over a year ago current All Blacks coach Wayne Smith sat on the bench and watched in horror as the World Cup favourites were rolled over by an inspired performance from the French in the semi-finals.
Yesterday the former All Black, who "Since I took over (Hart stepped down following the third place play-off with South Africa) I have tried to rectify the errors we made in the World Cup," Smith said. "I know one is expected to be a good loser, but while one has to accept defeat it doesn't mean that you have to enjoy it. That defeat still leaves me with a hole in my gut," he added.
As a sign of the new broom and a more pragmatic approach, Smith has selected just seven of the starting XV who lost 43-31 at Twickenham, with an eighth, former captain Taine Randell, left on the bench. Reuben Thorne replaces him.
"I just think that Reuben is better at retaining the ball and keeping it tight," said Smith.
Smith, formerly coach of the New Zealand Sevens team, has also opted for the safer defensive work of Daryl Gibson in the centre - alongside Tana Umaga - than the exciting Tongan-born Pita Alatini.
"Daryl is very strong defensively and should cope with the French midfield which I regard as an exceptional outfit," he said.
Meanwhile, France coach Bernard Laporte made just one change to the team that went down 13-18 to the Wallabies last weekend, with Stade Francais lock David Auradou replacing Northampton's Olivier Brouzet, who finds himself on the replacements bench.
All Blacks: C Cullen; D Howlett, T Umaga, D Gibson, J Lomu; A Mehrtens, J Marshall (v-capt); R Cribb, S Robertson, R Thorne; N Maxwell, T Blackadder (capt); G Somerville, A Oliver, G Feek. Replacements: M Hammett, G Slater, T Flavell, T Randell, B Kelleher, C Spencer, B Reihana.
France: X Garbajosa; T Lombard, F Comba, R Dourthe, D Bory; C Lamaison, F Galthie; O Magne, C Juillet, C Moni; F Pelous (capt), D Auradou; C Califano, F Landreau, S Marconnet. Replacements: O Azam, P De Villiers, O Brouzet, S Betsen, P Carbonneau, Y Delaigue, P Bernat-Salles.
