France - What they had to say

Comments from France general manager Raphaël Ibanez, lock Cameron Woki and fly-half Matthieu Jalibert at an eve-of-match media event at Saint-Denis on Thursday.

Raphaël Ibanez, general manager

On using the home support to their advantage:

"It is obvious tomorrow will be a big day for all of us. It has been four years now [since the last Rugby World Cup] and we expect the home crowd to be supporting us. We can be proud of what we have achieved so far but we know it is a big stage, a big step for us against a fabulous New Zealand team."

On Antoine Dupont being in the spotlight:

"What you always notice with Antoine is the way he delivers on the pitch but also the sense of maturity he has every day. He likes to be surrounded by his team-mates most of all.

"Tomorrow will be a special day for him – his 50th cap for France, which is a great achievement – but for him it is just something he wants to achieve with the team. He is a real team player and that is why he is so respected by his team-mates."

On the opening match at RWC 2007 when hosts France lost to Argentina:

"I'm not sure you can take account of past matches. We looked at it briefly with the whole group. We concluded there aren't many lessons you can learn from the past. The opening match in 2007 was one episode in, paradoxically, what was still a good tournament [for France] because we went on to beat the All Blacks.

"For this generation, for this group, history has yet to be written. Every competition has its history. We could also mention the 1987 final or the 2011 final [when on both occasions France were runners-up to New Zealand]. Many matches have marked the history of our sport.

"The important thing is to be fully committed to this competition."

Cameron Woki, second row

On the mood in France:

"There's a real buzz around the French team. We feel supported and that gives us great pleasure. It helps us perform, because we don't want to disappoint our families or the French public.

"It's tomorrow, it's coming up fast. We have to make the most of every moment and use it to put in a great performance."

Matthieu Jalibert, fly-half

On comments from New Zealand full-back Beauden Barrett, who described Jalibert as "a fabulous player":

"It's always a pleasure to receive compliments from a player of his stature. He's a player I admire. 

"They [New Zealand] play a bit like us with two playmakers on the pitch. And how is that dangerous? Quite simply, whether it's Richie Mo'unga or Beauden Barrett, they're very talented players, capable of making the difference, whether it's with ball in hand or the boot. 

“Their vision is exceptional. They're capable of taking the game by the scruff of the neck at any moment. Sometimes it's Beauden at 10, sometimes Richie and vice versa - it's up to us to stay focused. But we have a defensive plan and we'll have to stay structured to counter them and give them as little time as possible to create."

On the kicking game against New Zealand:

"It's a lethal weapon at international level and something we've relied on a lot. We know that the more pressure we put on, the more we force our opponents to play in their half and deal with critical situations. 

“We must never give the All Blacks any easy ball. They are very strong on the counter and rely on a number of individuals capable of making a difference. How we kick will be a decisive weapon."

On his relationship with Dupont:

"Antoine and I get on really well. We've been training and playing together for several years. I really enjoy playing with him, he's a world-class player who needs no introduction and creates a lot. You can feel the difference when he's on or off the pitch. He's as valuable to us in defence as he is in attack."

On his game plan against the All Blacks:

"I'm going to stay true to myself. I'm not going to change who I am or the way I play - I'll take the chances that come my way."