Ibanez eager to knock Kiwis off course

Raphael Ibanez believes the All Blacks will crumble if France dent their confidence early in Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final.

Les Bleus’ opening-day defeat to Argentina has left them with the last-eight contest they dreaded most – favourites New Zealand in Cardiff.

Hauled out of their Parisian comfort zone, defeat would send France tumbling to a humiliating exit from the tournament they are hosting.

But skipper Ibanez has warned New Zealand it is they who are facing the battle of their lives to stay in the tournament.

“We know New Zealand are very confident but you can knock their machine out of synch – throw some sand into the gearbox,” he said.

“When that happens their beliefs can turn into doubts.

“They have world-class players in lots of positions and all their players are very strong, which makes our task harder.

“But a match of rugby is never won or lost until you’ve played it and believe me, we’re really going to play this match.”

France famously toppled New Zealand, who were overwhelming favourites, in the 1999 World Cup semi-final, but Ibanez insists that result has no relevance to Saturday.

“We have to stop looking back into the past. Each match is different,” he said.

“We’re looking to the future and that involves playing the All Blacks at the Millennium Stadium.”

It has been a chastening experience for the hosts to decamp to the Welsh capital when the World Cup is being staged in France, but Ibanez insists his side must accept the challenge before them.

“There’s no longer any point in considering the frustration of playing in Cardiff,” he said.

“We’ve got a new situation to manage, just as we had in Marseille where we were met by a bright sunny day for Sunday’s game against Georgia.

“We arrived in Cardiff in the fog and rain. But it’s not important – we’ve been in these conditions before.”