Rugby World Cup
Dan Carter won't get caught up in 2007 quarter-final boilover against France
AAP
October 13, 2015
World Cup Quarter Finals Preview

Their 2007 Rugby World Cup quarter-final boilover is the furthest thing from All Blacks playmaker Dan Carter's mind this week.

Carter isn't getting caught up in the hype ahead of Saturday's sudden-death showdown with France at Cardiff, the same combination of opponent and venue which sent the All Blacks crashing out in the quarter-finals eight years ago.

Carter and captain Richie McCaw are the only remaining players in the All Blacks squad who were part of the match-day 22 in 2007.

© Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Footage of an injured Carter watching the closing minutes from the grandstand is one of the enduring images of New Zealand's earliest RWC exit, yet the veteran No.10 insists he has no hang-ups about the result.

And he is adamant it won't be on his mind when they line up against a French side once again being written off by pundits.

New Zealand's flanker and captain Richie McCaw (DOWN) and New Zealand's lock Ali Williams at the end of the rugby union World Cup quarter-final match New Zealand vs. France at the Millennium stadium in Cardiff on October 6, 2007.
The All Blacks won't focus on their 2007 capitulation © Getty Images
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"It's not something we've talked about or is daunting, we've played so much rugby since then," Carter said. "It's a new team. We're looking forward, not in the past. We've moved on from that and are more excited about this challenge."

The 33-year-old says if any team is going to be galvanised by the past, it will be France, who he says will have the 2011 final loss to New Zealand at Eden Park fresh in their mind.

However, he doubts that will spur a team who seem to function on different motivation levels to the accepted norm.

"I've played them enough to know how dangerous they are ... they're very unpredictable," Carter said. "Form and momentum doesn't really count for a lot with the French. They can be poor one week and awesome the following week.

"They will be disappointed with the way they played against Ireland (24-9 loss) and that's a dangerous sign for us because one thing I have learned is that they love playing the All Blacks in big matches."

Carter cited the tournament hosted by New Zealand four years ago as a prime example.

France suffered losses to New Zealand and Tonga in pool play but became a far more staunch outfit in the knock-out phase, eventually losing the final 8-7 at Eden Park.

© AAP

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