New Zealand should ignore any peace offerings from the French rugby team, Springbok backs coach Tim Lane told
the Evening Post on Thursday.

The All Blacks and France play a one-off Test on Saturday."I think the French always niggle, grabbing blokes around the balls and the eyes and that sort of thing," Lane told the newspaper.

French coach Bernard Laporte had blamed the South Africans for the flare-ups in matches earlier this month, but Lane, who recently gave up a coaching position with French club Montferrand to join the South Africans, said the All Blacks would be wise to watch their backs.

"There was a bit of provocation. It went both ways, obviously," Lane said.
The All Blacks have talked about taking a firm stance against any underhand
French tactics and Lane said they would need to.

It would be naive to expect the French to shelve the tactics they used to
beat the All Blacks in the 1999 World Cup.

"It (the recent test series in South Africa) was a bit like the World Cup
semifinal against the Blacks -- there is always a bit of niggle from them,"
Lane said.

"That is just their way -- they try and unsettle. It works a little bit. It
got the Boks' players minds off the job at times."

Lane expected the French to try and dominate the All Blacks up front.
He said the French played "four locks", two playing as flankers, against
South Africa, making them a threat at lineout time.

He said spectators should not expect to see any traditional French flair.
"Their fullback brings the ball back after kicks. He is very strong and
likes to run the ball back, but they are not a typical French side that run
the ball from everywhere," Lane said.
Lane said fatigue would be France's biggest worry.

"Four days preparation is tough, but having said that they also arrived in
South Africa with four days preparation and won the first Test," he said.

Lane added thatif he was in charge of the All Blacks he would target the French "out wide", where he suggested the wings were weak."I think you have to attack them outside, where the Blacks normally attack anyway," he said.