Coach Henry relies on same line-up for Final

Graham Henry has named an unchanged starting XV for Sunday's Rugby World Cup 2011 Final against France at Eden Park, confident that they can give him his crowning glory as head coach and earn the eternal gratitude of every Kiwi man, woman and child.

The only change comes on the bench where flanker Adam Thomson replaces Victor Vito, but otherwise it is the same team that overwhelmed Australia 20-6 in the semi-finals.

With New Zealand having not played in a Rugby World Cup final since 1995 there is the element of the unknown for Henry's team as it brings down the curtain on a packed year of Test rugby.

"We haven't experienced this before and it's finals football," Henry said. "I think the guys have prepared well.

All Blacks figurehead

"This is our 12th Test match in 14 weeks. I don't think that's ever happened before, so it's pretty demanding, the constant rugby and the toll that takes on the body and the mind."

Flanker Richie McCaw will lead the team as captain for the 66th time. Along with fellow flanker Jerome Kaino and number 8 Kieran Read he makes up the most experienced All Blacks back row in history as they look ahead to their 21st match together.

McCaw has long been a figurehead for Henry's team. Soon after Henry took over in the wake of Rugby World Cup 2003, he appointed McCaw as captain and together they have swept up the majority of rugby's major honours.

They have won five Tri Nations titles, swept the British and Irish Lions 3-0 in 2005 and won 87 of Henry's 96 tests as coach. The only thing missing is the Webb Ellis Cup.

"I've been with a lot of these guys for a long time and although they may be ranked the leading team in the world, they've never been world champions," Henry said.

"It would be just marvellous to have that title because they've had every other title that's going in rugby apart from this one.

World's best

"So for Richie (McCaw) and the boys I think that would be fabulous and you don't deserve that title till you do the job. I think they're good enough and that would be the icing on the cake."

It would be a fitting finale for veteran second row Brad Thorn, who will be retiring from Test rugby and at 36 years and 262 days old will be the oldest player in any RWC Final. He has played in every All Blacks match in both RWC 2003 and RWC 2011.

Before any celebration however, they have to overcome a France team that have shown flashes of inspiration, but mainly relied on solid defence and a pragmatic game plan to reach the Final.

They threw off the shackles to an extent against England in the quarter-finals and won 19-12, but reverted to type in the semi-finals against Wales where Morgan Parra's kicking won the match 9-8.

"This French team, we're not sure who's going to turn up, quite frankly," Henry said. "So we've got to prepare that they're going to be the best in the world.

"They've certainly got the individuals to do that, it's just whether they can produce that as a side. All the word is that they've prepared well and they're very focused and they're enjoying the underdog tag.

"They feel that they're not being considered in this final by a lot of people. We don't think that. We think they're a very good rugby team."