France vs New Zealand: All-time All Blacks great McCaw says Les Bleus can beat All Blacks

Nicolau Bosch, Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Adam Milne will all be active for the All Blacks in Paris

France vs New Zealand will go down as the game of the rugby calendar.

This encounter has become so enthralling, that there are New Zealand and French newspapers doing backflips, selling both sides as favourites on the day of the game.

Last time France beat New Zealand was in 1947 – their only win in the series, ever. Only twice have they beaten the All Blacks in their last eight meetings.

New Zealand have not lost to the French since 1991. What a time to be a French rugby fan.

Anyway, time to get your chimney swept – here is everything you need to know.

When is the match?

The match starts at 18:00 GMT on Thursday, 13 January.

Where can I watch it?

BT Sport 3 will be providing live coverage.

What time do the teams arrive?

The All Blacks arrived in Paris on Tuesday – the French took the plane on Tuesday night and went through their paces on Wednesday.

For more on how the teams will line up, click here.

France arrived on Wednesday, and started preparing at the Stade de France on Thursday.

What are the odds?

Line-ups have not been announced yet, but France are 1-5 to win the match and New Zealand are 4-7. Both prices place their supremacy as odds-on for victory.

What have the pundits said?

Former New Zealand scrum-half Richie McCaw said France are a side capable of causing an upset on Thursday, while Warren Gatland is optimistic for New Zealand, if his side manage to match the defensive pressures put on the All Blacks in the Wallabies’ defeat of them on the last occasion the sides met.

Here is what Jeff Probyn, who played for All Blacks 13 times during the 1980s, said on Radio 5 live last week: “France have been mauling over the years and New Zealand will have to contend with that.

“The key to that will be what amount of smoke can you put up there, can you get enough yards upfield and try to get their set-piece movement moving?

“But the French have certainly got fire in their belly. I would definitely be taking France to beat New Zealand.”

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