French ready for the fight of their lives

SERGE BETSEN has warned France they must possess “a war-like spirit” in tonight’s World Cup quarter-final with only their best good enough to topple New Zealand.

Les Bleus enter the Millennium Stadium showdown hoping to emulate their predecessors from 1999, who dumped the revered All Blacks out of the tournament with a shock 43-31 victory.

But it has been lean pickings for Bernard Laporte’s side since that Twickenham semi-final eight years ago, winning just two of the 11 contests between the rivals since.