The Rugby World Cup final remains a two-horse race despite New Zealand going into the match as overwhelming favourites, according to All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen.
Hansen admitted his team were anxious ahead of the decider at Eden Park in Auckland but all the focus was on making sure they lifted the Webb Ellis Cup on Sunday evening.
"You are not only doing it for yourself, you are doing it for all the people who have made sacrifices, and for our country, so we have to get it right," he said.
"The narrow, short-term goals are the focus. There's no room for anything else at the moment."
"It's just a total focus on getting a team ready to play really, really well as we know we're going to have to because the French will play really well."
Much of New Zealand's attention was focused on the French pack, which has been significantly bolstered since their pool game against the All Blacks - changes which would improve both the lineout options and the scrum.
Asked why the All Blacks were so respectful of a French side that had not played well during the tournament, including two losses in pool play, Hansen replied: "They've done exactly what we've done - earned the right to arrive at Eden Park on Sunday and play at 9 o'clock."
"It's a two-horse race and both teams will be doing their utmost to win it."
"The same feelings that we have, they'll have. And that's a great motivator."
Hansen - who has been touted to take over from coach Graham Henry at the conclusion of the tournament - said the All Blacks had steadily built their performance and there was now what he called 'a genuine desire' to get the job done.
"There's not too many times in your life you get a chance to do something special … you've got to make sure you do it right," he said.
Hansen said he was not surprised flanker Jerome Kaino was nominated for the IRB's player of the year award to be named on Monday night in Auckland.
Kaino had always had the athletic ability to be a great player, he said, and was part of an outstanding loose forward trio alongside Kieran Read and captain Richie McCaw.
But maturity had seen him gain the mental strength in his game while he had also acquired the desire to be the best in his position.
"At the moment you would have to say he is the best number six in the world," he said.
The fact that Ma'a Nonu and Piri Weepu had also been nominated - and not the usual candidates Richie McCaw and Dan Carter - was probably attributable to having a number of people who were playing well in the side.
"To win the World Cup we've always said that you need your top players, your experienced players, to be the best players at the tournament. You can't just win with one person hence why we weren't in a state of panic when we lost Dan [Carter]," he said.
"As good a player as he is, he wasn't going to win us the World Cup, it was everybody on the track, particularly your senior players standing up and being the best players they could possibly be."
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