France prop Nicolas Mas says his team have to get physical if they want to beat New Zealand and claim a maiden World Cup on Sunday.The host nation are overwhelming favourites to win in Auckland, but the French have defied the odds to defeat the All Blacks twice before in World Cups.

Mas said the French will take the game to the All Blacks and is predicting a tough contest.

"Of course you have to be aggressive, it's a rugby match. It's always aggressive, especially against the All Blacks," Mas said.

"We watched them against Australia, and the Australians had lots of bleeding noses. They're (New Zealand are) no angels either."

"A rugby match is men going up against each other, so it's like that. It's normal that there are clashes, and that a team brings an aggressive approach."

"The context of this match: both teams want to win by any means. But I don't think that means we'll be more violent than the All Blacks."

New Zealand convincingly beat France 37-17 in the Pool stages of the tournament but France posted wins over the All Blacks in the 1999 semi-finals and 2007 quarter-finals.

They were fortunate to scrape past Wales in the semi-finals, but France full back Damien Traille said his team had their eye on the ultimate prize after being beaten finalists in 1987 and 1999.

"In 2007 we prepared knowing that it could be our last week in the competition," Traille said.

"We had nothing to lose, so we really made the most of that week, and we ended up with an amazing win against the All Blacks."

"They've had wins against us, notably over here in Dunedin two years ago. This week, even if it started by looking back over the semi-final, we started to realise what was coming - a massive final against New Zealand."

"In the second half (of the tournament) we've really got going, the motivation has been there in training."

"We know the implications, and I think the pressure is only going to increase from now on. We have the chance to do something great, and we all want to achieve that."