They head to France having been near-obsessed for the last four years with ensuring that their preparation gives them every chance of reclaiming the Webb Ellis Cup.  Can they deny history and their own demons?

Strengths
Their most obvious strength is their depth. New Zealand, with their sound domestic structure, have always been blessed with great talent, but coach Graham Henry has been possessed in his quest to ensure that there are at least two international-class players in every position. This was spectacularly evidenced in their Grand Slam tour, where Henry rotated his entire starting 15 against Ireland after beating Wales, and the team looked no weaker for it. This strength also corresponds to their bench, giving them tremendous strike power with no position being weakened when substituted.

This All Blacks also have multiple game plans, something not seen in the past, with the ability to run opposition ragged with a gifted back division, yet able also to grind teams down through the forwards or through the kicking of their gifted No.10 Dan Carter. While Carter's form has been arguably down this year, he is still probably the world's premier fly-half - a position crucial to a team hoping to win the William Webb Ellis Cup. They also possess probably the strongest pack in world rugby - and are realistically the world's best scrummaging team. They have great pride in their ability in this set piece, and have their greatest depth in their forwards.

'Carter is still probably the world's premier fly-half. The All Blacks also possess probably the strongest pack in world rugby - and are realistically the world's best scrummaging team'


The All Blacks also field the best loose-forward trio of all the world teams, with the 6-7-8 combination of Jerry Collins, Richie McCaw and Rodney So'oialo being just about the best in their respective positions on the planet. Their nous at the breakdown has been one of the keys to their dominance over recent years, and this has led to New Zealand being an impressive defensive side, and a lethal counter-attacking team. However, this has been duly noted by other world teams, and contesting at the ruck is now very strong globally.

While some are casting doubts over the All Blacks' recent form and others mutter the word "chokers" - the reality is that their most dominant strength is the recent record they bring to the 2007 Rugby World Cup. Diminishing or not, they have been the world's dominant team like no other side before them, and have developed a winning culture with it.

Weaknesses
Mindset. If the All Blacks remind themselves of their 'failures' of 1999 and 2003, they will create unwanted doubt. Never mind that Les Bleus and the Wallabies played their greatest games of all time to beat them in the last two World Cups, the All Blacks carry a century-old history of expectation and quite simply, their public expects them to win.

The word 'chokers' will be muttered, nay yelled, by all the opposition teams, as they know that they have a greater chance of beating the All Blacks mentally rather than on the park. Henry and his men have ensured that these mistakes will not be repeated, and reflecting on them will be at their own peril.

Tana Umaga's retirement from international rugby probably hurt the All Blacks more than they care to admit. While players such as Nonu, Smith, Mulaina and Toeava have done sufficient jobs as custodians of the No.13 jersey - the abundant strength of all other positions has probably glossed over the hole which emerged in their most recent defeat in Melbourne. The selection of Christian Cullen and Leon Macdonald (both first-choice fullbacks)  in these positions in the 1999 and 2003 tournaments  was probably as much a reason for defeat as anything else - and this defensive channel will again be targeted in France.

Luke McAlister's emergence as an international level second five-eighth (inside centre), while a benefit of New Zealand's depth, has created a problem in itself, with a selection dilemma between McAlister and Aaron Mauger. They both have different styles of play, and as the above-mentioned problematic No.13 position requires strength and guidance from the No.12 jersey, this could cause another potential weakness in the All Blacks' armoury.

For all of their strength in the set-piece, the All Blacks' most glaring weakness remains their lineout. Over the last decade, despite world-class locks and hookers, the New Zealand lineout seems to periodically suffer and they remain one of the only top-ranked nations not to consistently compete against opposition throws. While it is not realistically a weakness that loses them games, it is an area that can and will be targeted.

Ironically, their greatest strength has probably been their greatest recent weakness. Being the world's best team over such a long period has meant their competitors have been watching them closely - and the gap is not as wide as it was in 2005 and 2006.

With their blitzkreig style of play and impressive forward dominance, other nations have learnt from the All Blacks. And like any other sporting code, the better the team at the top of the hill, the better the chasing pack will inevitably become.