New Zealand’s flanker Jerome Kaino (C) is tackled by Tonga’s  Viliami Ma’afu (L) during their Pool C match of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. (AFP)

AFP/London

Two days of intense study of the French team has taught the All Blacks they are in for a ‘hell of a battle’ in their quarter-final clash at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday.  
The All Blacks returned to training yesterday with an obvious edge as they started to fine tune their battle plan after a thorough analysis of how France have progressed through the tournament so far.  
“We had a couple of days indoors learning and looking at who we were going to play and it was good to get out on the pitch and put things together,” flanker Jerome Kaino said.  
“This is our final and we have to treat it like so and everyone’s got to put all their energy into a great performance.”  
The All Blacks go into the sudden-death match as defending champions, unbeaten in pool play and having won their last eight Tests against France going back to 2009.  
France, who have never won the World Cup but have twice knocked New Zealand out of the play-offs, in 1999 and 2007, lost their final pool game against Ireland 24-9 on Sunday.  
However, All Blacks backrower Kieran Read, believes the French approach on Saturday will be a step up from their showing against Ireland when the game slipped away from them in the final quarter.  
“French flair you’ve got to prepare for. We’re preparing for the top French team to turn up on Saturday. They’ll certainly throw everything at us,” Read said.
“Two teams that are very passionate about this game, about World Cup rugby so it’s going to be a hell of a battle.”
After reviewing how France have played so far, Read said it was evident they were not a one-dimensional side.  
“The French will be a blend. They have very strong forwards and are very strong around the breakdown area with their loose forwards. They’ll come hard at us there. “They’ve got some flair within their backline and some classy midfielders so I’m sure they’ll mix it up.”  
In a game which offers a semi-final berth to the victor and a ticket home to the loser, Read said the All Blacks were drawing on their remarkable record since they won the last World Cup in 2011.  
They have played 51 Tests, won 46, drawn two and lost only three. “There are learnings you can take from past experiences. Most Test matches for us over the last four years we have learnt a lot about how to get out of a few different situations,” he said.  
“Certainly a play-off game heightens that pressure, that expectation. It’s not about running away from it, it’s getting excited by the challenge.”
Kaino likened the mood in the All Blacks camp to the lead up to when they last played Australia in August.  
After being beaten by Australia 27-19 in the Rugby Championship, the fired up All Blacks came back with a dominant 41-13 victory over the Wallabies.  
“It’s similar in terms of form getting into the game,” said Kaino, who has been capped 64 times.  
“We’re slowly building and we made a step in the right direction in our last game.”
All Blacks talisman Richie McCaw is foxing and not missing in action at the breakdown, while he makes a lousy waterboy when not playing, according to the All Blacks.  
The New Zealand skipper’s performance has come under the microscope as the most-capped player in rugby history barely firing a shot during pool games. The one time he was clearly visible was when acting as a waterboy in the All Blacks - Tonga match, and fly-half Dan Carter quipped he could not even do that properly.  
But the most telling statistic from the All Blacks clean sweep in pool play was the low number of turnovers won—a total of 27 in four matches.  
Eight against the powerful Argentina pack was a fair effort but low numbers against Namibia, Georgia and Tonga begged questions.  
Among other quarter-finalists, Wales lead the way with 38 turnovers followed by Ireland (31), Australia (29) and France (28) leaving New Zealand fifth equal with Argentina on a list they usually dominate.  
McCaw has a reputation as a tackler and ball winner in the dark arts of the breakdown but in the tournament statistics he has barely registered apart from 12 tackles against Argentina.
Sam Cane, McCaw’s understudy in the seven jersey, explained the reason for the skipper’s absence on the turnover list was the All Blacks not trying for turnovers in the first place.  
Coach Steve Hansen has said throughout the tournament the All Blacks were using the first four matches to rehearse scenarios they will likely face when the tournament is into the knockout phase.