New Zealand coach, Graham Henry, has made three changes to his team to play France at the Stade Velodrome on Saturday.

The 3 players brought in are:

• Neemia Tialata (for Owen Franks)
• Jerome Kaino (for Adam Thompson)
• Cory Jane (for Zack Guildford)

2 Changes on the bench was made as well, they are:

• Corey Flynn
• Tanerau Latimer

“The French will be a passionate, physical side who are undefeated at home in their November Tests so it will be another huge Test for the All Blacks,” Henry said.

France, Henry said, “think they can win every time they play the All Blacks”.

“They have some great players and a good pool of players,” he said, adding: “They’ve only been beaten here once in history.”

New Zealand will be captained by Richie McCaw at openside flanker, while Mils Muliaina will become the second most capped All Black of all time when he wins his 82nd cap. McCaw plays his 80th Test.

Tialata, who was this summer dropped from the All Blacks and struggled to break into the Wellington side, had been promoted over Franks because he’s “got himself in great shape, the best shape since he started playing rugby”, Henry said.

“He’s got control of himself and what he’s been doing. He’s playing the greatest rugby of his life because he’s got his body right.”

Henry added that his team’s focus was solely on notching up a victory after wins over England, Italy (20-6) and Wales (19-12) on successive weekends.

“To go through Europe unbeaten would be a marvellous achievement. You can see from other southern hemisphere teams it’s not easy.”

The All Blacks have notched up two Grand Slams over their last four years of touring and Henry said: “We are very proud of our record. Other sides have tried to emulate that and have failed. It shows how hard it is.

“The whole side want to hang in there, show tenacity to want to win,” he said, acknowledging that a fourth victory would be “icing” on the cake.

But Henry admitted that his squad were feeling the fatigue accumulated from a long season that kicked off in February.

“Five Tests in five weeks, and travelling the world to do it, the boys are feeling the affects,” he said, adding: “It’s the last big Test of the year.”

The All Blacks have played France 48 times since 1906, with New Zealand winning 35 and France 12 with one draw.

The two teams have met twice this year. France pulled off an upset with a 27-22 win in Dunedin while the All Blacks won the second game 14-10 in Wellington a week later.

New Zealand:

Mils Muliaina, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (capt), Jerome Kaino, Tom Donnelly, Brad Thorn, Neemia Tialata, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock.

Replacements: Corey Flynn, Owen Franks, Anthony Boric, Tanerau Latimer, Andy Ellis, Stephen Donald, Luke McAlister.